The Secret Life Of A Messenger
by Bluezinga
Summary: When Kao is contacted by an Unknown and told to help him find a missing phone, she is thrown into a chatroom filled with interesting, bizarre, and extremely good looking people! But little does she know about the dark brooding things happening behind the scenes...(Planning to branch off for all the different routes, 707 x mc/oc first)
1. The Beginning Of The End

*Note* I DO NOT OWN MYSTIC MESSENGER! ALL CHARACTERS (Except Kao) AND SOME OF THE DIALOGUE (In this chapter) BELONGS TO CHERIZ!

*I changed the ages of Jumin and Jaehee because I thought they were out of the age group a little (originally 27 and 26, now 25, 24.) Note, the main character is 22 in this fanfiction, so the age difference is not as large now. I plan to make this a series, possibly with different branches even! Adding a Saeran branch and a V branch, and making Jaehee's branch more gay XD. A LOT of the dialogue is from the game in the first chapter, and it is not mine! I do add some things and make it more realistic, but I mainly recycled the dialogue to keep the feel of it. It won't be like this for the rest of the chapters though.*

*You don't have to play or finish Mystic Messenger to read this Fanfic, though it's recommended. I'll try not to spoil too much -* (FYI Mystic Messenger is a app for those who didn't know)

*First chapter is long...please bear with me and read it through!*

* * *

Chapter 1- The Beginning Of The End

He was staring at me, with those emerald green eyes of his. He was sucking me in, and I couldn't escape from his gaze. The gun in his hand was irrelevant, just from his stare, I knew he loved me. His eyes softened and he touched my face, whispering my name.

"Kao." I swallowed nervously, my emotions were in a catastrophic wreak. All I could do was stay silent. The door banged open with a crash and our connection was broken, he turned around slowly, unlocking the safety on his gun.

"I knew you'd come." He said softly.

"Let her go." I clenched my teeth, my hands reached the knife I always had in my back pocket, it flipped silently in my hands and started to cut the rope. "She's not the one you want."

"Yes, she is." As soon as the bonds came free I dived for the emerald eyed man as the gunshot went off.

And then there was silence.

Four weeks earlier

* * *

The night lights of Korea were beautiful at night. Red, yellow, orange lights bordering the signs and advertisements next to multiple red lanterns strung up on strings. The lights emitted a faint aura that cloaked the nearby buildings, making them beacons against the obsidian evening sky. A cool breeze could be felt, lightly brushing the cheeks of all, it was a special evening, the heat wasn't heavy and humid. Something special always happens on these rare evenings.

The muffled sound of traffic from the main streets blended with the soft buzz of constant talking. The faint smell of vendor food came wafting through my nose, Japchae, Bulgogi. Despite the fact that I had just ate, the smell made me want to eat more, mouth watering, I turned away from the smell.

"Kao?" I blinked and looked at my friend.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"Welcome back." Hwan said slyly. I looked at expectant faces around me and laughed nervously.

"Sorry, just admiring the night view." I said quickly.

"It's like she doesn't live in Korea." Shu said shortly.

"Yeah." Seong added, laughing. I rolled my eyes and scratched my head.

-ping-

I glanced at my phone. "One sec." Hwan nodded and walked forward a little bit, gesturing to the others to do their own thing for a bit. I took my phone out of my pocket. I had never heard that ringer before, it was like a little bell. I tapped the screen and saw a small message box with the name unknown above it. Huh? It was from RFA...?

It seemed to be a app. I had never downloaded it though. Was it a virus?

"...Hello...?" It read. I stared at it bewildered, my fingers hesitating. Was it safe to respond? Did I even know this person? How were they talking to me? I didn't even know what RFA was. But my curiosity won out, and I responded shortly.

"?" I typed. There, not revealing. Just a question mark. I glanced at Hwan who was laughing with the others, leaned against the wall behind me, and looked at my phone again.

-ping-

"Can you see this?" Unknown typed.

"Who are you?" I ignored the question.

"I'm sure you're surprised. It's not everyday you get a text from a stranger." Unknown typed. I stared at my phone in silence. I was surprised, yes.

"I'm a bit flustered myself, I found a smartphone at the subway station, but all it had was this RFA app downloaded on it. I want to find the owner, but I don't see any contact info or call records... I've been sending messages with this app but no one has replied..." The messaging stopped, and waited for my reply. This 'unknown' didn't seem to be a bad person, it wouldn't hurt to help them find the owner. Before I could respond the a message popped up again.

But how did he get in contact with me through an app I had never used before? Unknown continued to type.

"All I see is an important looking address and some important looking numbers saved in notes. I'd like to go there myself but I'm currently abroad..." Ok...?

"First who are you?" I asked.

"Just a Korean student studying abroad, haha. I would tell you my name, but I don't really know who you are." Unknown replied. Fair enough, I thought.

"So what do you need?" I typed.

"Can you help me find the owner of this phone?" I stared at my phone and shook my head.

"Can't you just turn it in to the post office?"

"I'm busy right now, I don't have time to go to the post office."

"Call." I typed. There was a brief pause.

"To be honest, I just want someone to go to this address. I'm really curious about it, and it's not like the phone has any clues on it so the post office couldn't do much." Unknown typed.

"Turn it in to the police then."

"It'll be the same thing. All you have to do is go to this address and tell me what you find, I can't go, like I said, studying abroad." I stared at my phone and re-read the message a few times. Woah woah woah. Slow down. Did this person think I was stupid? Who the hell goes to an address at the request of someone you just met?

"Um, no, sorry." I replied quickly, this was a mistake, the person was obviously a creep. I was about to turn off the phone when unknown responded.

"But you're curious aren't you...? About the house."

"Please stop texting me."

"Please, I don't have any other leads."

"I'll delete this number"

"Ok fine, I get it, you don't trust me, can you at least see if someone lives in the apartment? Call them or something." Unknown typed.

"Why should I? You can do it can't you?

"Because your curious. You wouldn't have even responded to my first message if you weren't. I don't have the time to call them."

Damn it...they were right. I debated this, it was true, I was curious. This was the single most eventful thing that had happened to me for a while. Which was pretty sad. I didn't know what the app RFA was either. It was like a mystery case! I glanced to my right and blinked when Hwan and the others weren't there. Had they left? I walked forward and looked around. They had! Those little-. I sighed.

-ping-

"Hello?" Unknown typed.

"I'll think about it..." I responded finally. My curiosity was ravaging my common sense. I sighed and made my way to the nearest phone booth, opening the door and slipping into it. Luckily, there was a old yellow phone book sitting on the metal shelf. I grabbed it and opened it. There was nothing wrong with calling right? It was just calling, if no one picked up, then I would delete unknown's number and forget this ever happened. And if someone did pick up. My heart skipped a beat. Then... I abandoned the thought.

-ping-

I glanced at my phone. A address appeared along with a "thank you! ^^" I searched the phone book for the address and found it after a minute or two. There's nothing wrong with calling, I told myself again. I hesitantly dialed the number and waited nervously.

A few seconds passed.

" Hello?" My heart skipped a beat. Someone had picked up! It was a male voice, not too low, smooth, early twenties?

" Umm, hi."

"Who is this?"

"Uhh, I want to find the owner of a phone-"

"Oh! My phone you found it! Thank you so much! I looked everywhere for it! Can you drop it off at my house? Sorry, I'm kind of in a rush! The voice restated their address and the line clicked off before I could respond.

"Oh...no I don't have the phone, I was just told to-." I said shortly, but no one heard me.

-ping-

"Anything yet?" Unknown asked. Anger was biting at me, first Hwan and the others left me and now I had to deal with this.

"They just assumed I had the phone and hung up." I typed bitterly.

"So there was someone there! See? Can't you just stop by and tell them you don't have it?"

"I'll call again." I replied.

"-.- suit yourself." Unknown replied after a brief pause. I glanced at my phone and tried calling the number again, to no avail.

-ping-

"Did they pick up? Unknown asked.

I didn't bother responding, I would just stop by the address and tell the owner. They didn't seem suspicious. It was fine, safe, right? Besides, it seemed to be in a safe neighborhood. I pushed aside my doubts and made my way to the apartment.

* * *

"Damn stairs." I uttered beneath my breath as I arrived at the top of the apartment, stretching.

-ping-

"hello?" Unknown typed.

"I'm at the house." I said finally.

"So they didn't respond?

"No..."

"All right, just a brief check right? And a note saying my contact info. Thanks for this, I couldn't have done it without you." He typed, he then sent his number. That's right, just a check. I wouldn't even have to go inside, just write a note with his contact info.

I walked down the hallway. Looking for the address when I stopped at the last door. There was a password lock and a note on the door.

"Please leave my phone inside, thank you."

Did he leave the door open? There was a small crack in between the wall and door. He did, what an idiot. I guess I couldn't say anything, I was going to a address at the request of someone that I had just met after all. Well, going inside wouldn't hurt right? He left a note saying I could. I opened the door carefully and stepped inside.

A mat place sat in front of me, with a spare pair of flip flops sitting on it. A desk and lamp sat in the corner with a work table and a few spare bookshelves lining the walls with a door at the back of the room. Overall the place was nice, but nothing of value stuck out to me. When I tried the door in the back of the room I realized it was locked. Well, at least the owners weren't complete idiots.

I walked over to the desk and began to write a note with a note pad and pen on the desk when something caught my eye. The small drawer on the right of the desk had a large yellow panflit sticking out of it. A peek wouldn't hurt right? I grabbed it and looked at the front.

"Rika's Fundraising Association." I had never heard of that before. I began to open the pamphlet when I heard-

-ping-

I took my phone out of my pocket, but there was no message from unknown. Where did it come from?

-ping-

I glanced at my phone again, a black screen stared back at me. I swallowed nervously, was I going crazy?

-ping-

It wasn't coming from my phone, obviously. I looked around the room wildly.

-ping-

I turned around, was it coming from the desk? I searched the desk frantically and then my eye caught on the open drawer. I opened it and dug under the white papers.

-ping-

Bingo. A small phone stared at me from under the white papers. I hesitated and then picked it up, turning it on. Several message boxes popped, and then a passcode. Suddenly-

-...ping...-

I glanced at my phone, where the notification **was** coming from this time. A white message floated on the black screen.

"Kao has entered the chatroom."

Huh?! What chatroom? The phone that wasn't mine vibrated strongly, I jumped and instinctively dropped it. It landed on the floor with a loud thud. Oh shit.

Another message appeared on my screen. I clicked on it without hesitation. What the hell was going on? A chatroom opened up on my screen.

"Yes." The name Jumin Han hung over it.

"Nice~ Can't believe u get to work right after college lol. In this day and age!" The numbers 707 hung over this one.

"Lame. It's nepotism." Made by...Zen?

"It's called recruitment." Jumin again.

I read the appearing messages and stared blankly at the screen. What was this? Were these real people?

"It's giving a free pass instead of training the worker." -Zen-

"I couldn't care less what you say." -Jumin-.

I peered at the profile pictures next to the messages and blinked. So...GOOD LOOKING! DAMN! HOLY SHIT! THESE HAD TO BE COMPUTERS!

Zen- "Yeah? What's the difference between recruitment and nepotism?"

Jumin was what one would call a dark horse? Maybe? Sexy, with cleanly cut black hair. The front hair to his right hung above his right eye while the left was parted to the side. It was cut at the nape of his neck. His obsidian eyes stared at the screen in disappointment.

707- "I thought they r the same? O_O?"

Jumin Han - "It's nepotism if you recruit a person you know and they're useless." A sarcastic emoji appeared.

The one named Zen had a beautiful face. Almost like porcelain. His eyes were a bright seductive amber, shining brilliantly against the pearl white of his fair hair that laid over his forehead. His profile picture was him smiling at the screen slyly. Damn.

707- "Wait!"

Yoosung- "What?"

Zen- "?"

Yoosung had a adorable face, the kind that made you want to hug someone like him and never let go. His hair was blonde, with a large brown hair clip keeping his hair in place. His eyes were closed and he was smiling at the camera innocently. So...cute~.

707- "Think someone entered the chat room?;;"

707 (strange name?) was neither sexy, nor beautiful, nor cute. But still very attractive. He had red hair, slightly curly, hanging over his yellow glasses. He stared at the camera out of the corner of his beautiful golden eyes. I stared at them and forced my eyes to move on but they stayed there, until finally they flicked away.

Jumin Han- "Kao...?"

I read over the messages. And then re read it. Huh? Kao? My name? HUH?!

Zen- "Wtf. How did they get in here?"

GAAAAAAAH! NONONONO!

707- "Hacker!"

I shut off my phone in a panic. And then turned it on two seconds later. But I still appeared to be in the classroom.

Yoosung- "Theares a hacker in ovur room! Sevnee do someting!"

Zen- "typos. -_-;;"

707- "One sec. I'm searching."

SHIT SHIT SHIT! NO! I didn't even want to enter the classroom! It just happened! How'd I even get in?!

Jumin Han- "Who are you? Reveal yourself. Hey, Assistant Kang, are you even here?"

Jaehee Kang- "Yes, I am here."

Amongst my panic, I still recognized a new face. It was a female this time, with a mature face and glasses. Her hair was a chocolate brown and was cut like a male's. She looked businesslike and proper. She wore a fancy suit suit like outfit and stared at the screen blankly.

Zen- "You were so quiet I thought you went somewhere."

Jaehee Kang- "Nothing was out of the ordinary so I was just observing. But there seems to be excitement now."

Yoosung- "omg!"

Jumin Han- "Why is a stranger in our chatroom?"

Believe me! I was wondering the exact same thing! I was sitting against the desk now, frozen, my hands sweating.

Jaehee Kang- "No one can enter this chatroom without installing the private app we use...It seems someone has downloaded the RFA messenger.

Yoosung- "I thought Seven only let us download it?"

Wait what?

Zen- "Perhaps someone downloaded the app on two phones?"

707- "Maybe?"

Wait wait, no, the app had just appeared all of the sudden.

Jumin Han- Who downloaded it twice?

Yoosung- Not me!

Okay okay enough. Fingers trembling I decided to respond.

"Hello..." I typed. That wasn't bad, was it? Just a greeting...The chat burst into energy.

Yoosung- "GAAHHHHHH it's talking!"

I held my phone nervously.

Zen- "So it's not two smartphones..."

Jumin Han- "Who is it?"

Yoosung- "Find out who or what it is!"

Jaehee Kang- "How did you find out about this place? Where did you download this application?"

707- "Oh...^^; Wait. Found something. This is really weird."

Zen- "What is it. Hurry and tell us"

707- " I traced the IP... It's from Rika's apartment."

Yoosung- "Rika's apartment?"

Rika's apartment?! Who the hell was Rika? I was so confused.

Jumin- "Where was her apartment anyhow?"

Jaehee Kang- "The location is not revealed. I thought it was classified."

707- "Anyways, someone must have broken into her apt. It talked now so...it must be a person ^^;"

GAAAAAAAAAHH! I was gonna get arrested. It was over for me. NO! I didn't break in! Who the hell was Rika?! What was this app?! Why did I suddenly join this chatroom?! What was going on?! I panicked, trying to clean up the room to look like I had never entered. I picked up the phone I had dropped earlier and tidied up the desk. Meanwhile, the messages continued popping up. I looked back at my phone.

Yoosung- "So it hacked the program Seven?"

707- "Yup"

NO! I DIDN'T HACK SHIT!

Yoosung- "Who are you?! How did you get into Rika's apartment?! How did you get this app?! So scared right now -...I thought the apartment has a pasworth lobk?"

Zen- "Typo -_-"

Jaehee Kang- "I assume it was a break in. "Kao" I recommend that you confess."

Ok that was it. They were just assuming shit now.

Zen- "Jaehee, would you voluntarily confess if it were you?"

Jaehee Kang- "No. But there is nothing wrong with asking."

707- "Lolol"

Jumin Han- "Quit shitting around. Kao who are you? Reveal yourself, stranger. If you don't you will pay."

I stared at the screen angrily. Excuse me?

Zen- "Stranger you will pay? Lmfao *so scary*- It might be a girl."

Anger was clouding my fear now. As if I could get scared by a comment like that.

707- "That's sexist lol. U should watch what u say now that ur a famous actor."

I felt a bit better after that.

Zen- "I'm not famous;; just a bit recognizable."

Yoosung- "Nah~ Look at the youtube hits~"

Okay stop.

"Hold it." I typed. The chat was silenced. "I didn't hack into anything. Nor did I break into whose ever house this is." I thought a bit to myself. I probably should say something about myself, as proof I wasn't a hacker or thief. "My name is Kao." I typed as a compromising statement. The brief silence was broken and the chat exploded again.

Jumin Han- "How did you get in the apartment?"

Yoosung- "What? That's impossible!"

Zen- "Hmm..they seem more normal then I thought."

Jaehee Kang- "Is there a way you could prove that you didn't break in?"

707- "It doesn't appear to be a computer, they talk normally."

Yoosung- "Wait, should we introduce ourselves?"

Jumin Han- "Are you serious...?"

Zen- "Hi. I'm Zen (24 yrs old) Musical actor...Don't look me up on the internet, it's embarrassing ^^."

Yoosung- "Woah Zen! So brave!"

Jumin Han- "So careless. Guess he wanted to show off."

Zen- "*gasp*No way~!"

Wait...Zen?! THE ZEN?! THE ZEN THAT APPEARS IN THE RED PEPPER WAS SO HOT (AKA HOT JALAPENOS TOPPING PRODOCTION?!) I stared at the picture in awe. It was him! I didn't recognize him at first. Holy SHIT!

"ZEN?!" I typed quickly.

Zen- "You know me?~"

"Yes!"

Zen- "I'm flattered~"

"Are you the real one?"

Zen- "Of couse~"

Was he shitting me?! As if he could read my thoughts, he sent me a picture of himself. He was smiling at the camera, his amber eyes narrowed, his white hair perfectly framing his face. I had never seen that picture before! Was it really him?!

Kao- "I'm...honored!" I typed quickly.

Zen- "Haha, your cute~"

I stared at the messages. Was...I?

Yoosung- "OMG a photo too?!"

Jaehee Kang- "He has nothing to be ashamed of...my eyes have been cleansed..."

Jumin- "I see that he has zero interest in his privacy.

707- "Lolol. My nickname's 707, real name is a secret. Fyi, Zen's real name is Hyun Ryu."

Zen- "Your name's a secret but not mine?;"

707- "You don't care anyways lol."

It appeared to be true.

Jaehee Kang- "707 does have the strangest name, so I can understand his secrecy."

Kao- "Secrets are chill" I typed, I had many as well after all.

707- "Yasss! Besides, my name's too holy to be spread around to you unholy citizens~ I'm gonna pray after I finish hacking."

Zen- "Pray, yeah right;"

707- "Just remember me as the 22 yr old young hacker ^^, Where I live is also a secret."

Zen- "So many secrets;;"

Yoosung- "I'm Yoosung Kim! I'm a collage student. 21 year old." A picture appeared of him, smiling at the camera.

I noticed that he had purple eyes, which surprised me. They were a beautiful lavender, dark and light at the same time.

707- "Lol so warm and fuzzy here~"

With a shock, I realized he was right. My anger was gone, along with my fear.

Jumin Han- "I don't understand why everyone is so eagerly introducing themselves. We don't even know if this 'Kao' was telling the truth, she could be manipulating us for all we know."

Ah, there it was. But the others appeared to ignore Jumin's comment.

Zen- "Lol, Seven you don't have an selfies to show?"

707- "Nothing recent, Jumin's the heir of a pretty famous corporation and Jaehee is his assistant. 25 and 24 years respectively, do you have a better sense of who we are now?"

I was thankful for that.

Kao- "Yeah, I do, thanks."

Jumin Han- "Why the hell did you say that?

707- "Doubted you'd do it yourself"

Jumin Han- "Stop shitting around."

Ouch.

707- "Fyi, Jumin has the cutest cat!"

Jumin Han- "Hey! Don't go talking about Elizabeth 3rd to a stranger."

I refrained from bursting out in laughter. ELIZABETH 3RD?! WAS THAT THE CAT'S NAME? HOLY-

707- "The cat's name is Elizabeth 3rd"

I WAS RIGHT! AHAHA THAT WAS HILARIOUS! A picture of Jumin petting the so called Elizabeth 3rd appeared. My smile faded. That was strange. Jumin looked...nice? Not what I expected out of how he was acting in the chat. His black hair hung over his eyes that were narrowed in kindness as he fondly pet the cat. The cat...oh my. SO cute! It was completely white.

Kao- "It's...beautiful."

Jumin Han- "Of course it is.

Yoosung- "That info is useless isn't it? We're not even close with this 'Kao' person yet lol.

Kao- "I think it's valuable. I love cats~!"

707- "Yay! Cat lover society! It's a thing you know."

Jumin Han- "Cats are beautiful creatures. But still, I cannot believe you showed a photo of Elizabeth 3rd to a stranger... Idiot. I know you came to my house the other day and harassed her. It's all on CCTV." A picture of Seven cuddling Elizabe-...the cat, showed up.

707- "*gasp* My privacy!"

Zen- "Cause you're so crazy about privacy."

Yoosung- "CCTV screenshots omg, so serious."

Jumin Han- "And Yoosung, my Elizabeth 3rd is not useless."

I chuckled to myself.

707- "That was so fun~ I want Elly all for myself!"

Jumin Han- "I refuse, don't lay your hands on Elizabeth 3rd, don't shorten her name either."

707- "I'll sneak in again."

Jumin Han- "Don't."

707- "You can't hold me back from seeing my love."

Jumin Han- "I'll arrest you."

Kao- "Love is painful T - T"

707- "T - T Kao understands my pain. We will bond over our love for Elizabeth 3rd!"

Kao- "Yes! Love shall prevail!"

Jumin Han- "I refuse."

Yoosung- "Lol"

Zen- "Stop talking about cats. Uck, giving me goosebumps."

Jaehee Kang- "I agree, shouldn't we take care of this stranger first? Could it be that we have a security breach?"

No?

Kao- "I didn't hack anything, I swear. I came here while chatting with a Unknown. Just before I started talking to him, this app appeared, I didn't even download it."

Jumin Han- "How bizarre."

Yoosung- "Unknown?"

707- "Wait, do u still have the person's username or chat record?"

That's right, I had completely forgot about reporting to him. I checked the messaging with Unknown, but there was simply a black screen. Had it been deleted...?

Kao- No, sorry, all I know is that he's a Korean student who's studying abroad. The chat record looks like it's been deleted.

707- "That's very odd, I made it impossible to log in without setting a username. Nothing's in the log... What was he like?

Kao- "Normal, fairly well mannered."

707- "Did he seem...dangerous?

Kao- "He told me to check out this address, and I refused at first but...well, it's a long story. I'm not sure."

Jumin Han- "How naive."

Zen- "So cute lol~"

It was naive and stupid of me. But even so, I didn't regret it, I was excited. Adrenaline was pumping through me, the mystery of unknown. This app, these people.

Jaehee Kang- "Everyone please calm down. Let's look at the situation clearly."

Kao- "Yes, thank you."

Jaehee Kang- "Seven, who do you think this Unknown is?"

707- "It sounds like it might be...A HACKER!"

Yoosung- "!"

707- "Which is strange, because I had everything covered;; Kao, did Unknown tell you the password lock for the door?"

Password lock...? Thats right, there was a password lock.

Kao- "No, there was a note on the door with the password on it."

707- "What? How?

Kao- "I was talking to the owner of this residence and they told me to come here to drop their phone off. But I didn't have it, Unknown had contacted me to find the owner of that very phone and I simply came here to leave a note telling them to contact this Unknown. The original owner of the phone and this apartment had his password on the door and I came in only to enter this chatroom unwillingly."

Zen- "That's a mouthful."

Kao- "Tell me about it. It's even more exhausting typing it -_-"

Zen- "lol"

Yoosung- "Wait- you talked to the owner of this residence?!"

Kao- "Yes."

Yoosung- "Who were they? What did they sound like?"

Kao- "It sounded like a young male."

Yoosung- "Ah..."

Zen- "Yoosung, you didn't actually think it was Rika did you?"

Yoosung- "..."

Zen- "She's gone, you know that."

Yoosung- "Yeah...I know."

707- "Then who was it?"

Jaehee Kang- "Could it have been V?"

Jumin Han- "That's impossible, V doesn't even know the passcode of Rika's apartment. But someone should call V, he should hear this."

707- "Yeah, that's a good idea, I'll give him a call."

Who was V? Who was Rika?

Zen- "V is so busy these days. I can't even talk to him anymore."

Yoosung- "We're all busy and yet V never comes into the chatroom. I don't think it's fair."

Zen- "..."

Jaehee Kang- "At least we'll be able to talk to him now. Seven are you calling him?

707- "Ya

Jaehee Kang- "But for now, can we really trust Kao? The fact that she didn't break in?"

Ouch.

Jumin Han- "This is true, always be ready to call the police."

Double ouch.

Jaehee Kang- "Before everything is figured out, I don't think we should reveal any more."

707-YaSorrycallingandtypingwithonehand."

Triple ouch.

Yoosung- "Type after you call XD"

707- "LookedintoKao'sprofile. She's cute."

I read the words and the re read them. What? WHAT?! WHAAAT?!

Kao- "HOW DID YOU FIND MY FACE?!"

707- "Hacker mad skills~"

Zen- "So it is a girl! I thought as much."

Jumin Han- "Interesting."

Jaehee Kang- " Another girl in this chat room is a breath of fresh air, I'm glad."

I flushed.

Zen- "How cute?"

707- "Really cute."

Zen- "Oh la la~ Show me a photo."

Kao- "NO!"

707- "Nope~"

That was a relief.

Kao- "Thanks Seven..."

707- "I'm going to keep it all to myself."

Jaehee Kang- "Oh dear..."

Yoosung- "0/0"

Jumin Han- "..."

Zen- "That's not fair~"

707- "You don't have my mad hacker skills :p"

Jumin Han- "How childish."

Kao- "Delete that photo."

707- " - "

Kao- "Seven!"

707- "I'll just get another one. And then set it as my profile pic."

Kao- " - _ -"

Jumin Han- "Where is V?"

V- "I'm already logged in."

I peered at V's profile pic. It wasn't as revealing as the others. It appeared to be a young man around the same age as the others, his hair was blue and hung over his left eye. Both of his eyes were covered by black sunglasses.

Zen- "Finally he's here."

V- "Yeah, guess I'm the last one to know about this."

Jumin Han- "Oh well..."

V- "How is everyone? It's been a while. Jaehee, how have you been?"

Jaehee Kang- "It's been a long time V, I've been doing good."

Yoosung- "...Hey V."

V- "Hey. Well I read about the situation."

707- "Yup, I told him everything through the phone."

Jumin Han- "So then who disclosed the passcode for Rika's apartment?"

Yoosung- "I thought V knew. Rika never invited me to her apartment.

Jumin Han- "No one has been there before."

Yoosung- "Tell us the address, I'll go there...I want to check who Kao is myself. Seven, you know right? You traced the ip address."

707- "Sorry...I can't tell you that."

Yoosung- "Why not? I'm her surviving family, I should have known a long time ago."

Zen- "Your're her cousin."

Yoosung- "Yeah."

Who was V exactly, who was Rika?! What was going on?

Kao- "I'm sorry, but who is Rika?"

Yoosung- "She was an amazing person..."

Zen- "She's not with us anymore."

Jumin Han- "She was the founder of RFA."

The founder of RFA? Did they mean the founder of this app? She...wasn't alive anymore?

Kao- "Ah...Yoosung, I'm sorry."

Yoosung- "It's ok...it happened a year and a half ago.

Kao- "Wait, what does RFA stand for?"

Jumin Han- "Rika's Fundraising Association."

I realized with a start that the name was the one on the pamphlet. Everything was coming together now.

Kao- "And Rika had previously lived here before she..."

Zen- "Yeah."

Kao- "And V, what's your relation with Rika?"

Jumin Han- "Rika was V's fiance."

So that was it.

Kao- "Ah...V, I'm sorry."

V- "There is nothing to apologize for, but thank you for doing so."

Yoosung- "But why can't I know the address?"

707- "The apartment doesn't belong to Rika anymore, it belongs to V."

Yoosung- "...Does V even know the password?"

V- "That is irrelevant."

Yoosung- "Were you even in a relationship with her?"

Jumin Han- "Yoosung stop."

V- "...Rika worked there, so there were several documents that must not be damaged. As such, I took ownership of them as her finance, and I can't say the address because those documents are valuable and sensitive."

Yoosung- "So you don't trust us enough."

Zen- "..."

Jumin Han- "It's probably for the best."

Yoosung...didn't seem to like V very much. Wasn't he the finance of his cousin? Wouldn't it have been natural to like him? They might have had some kind of falling out.

Yoosung- "Seven, how did you know that Kao's current ip address was Rika's apartment?"

Jaehee Kang- "Seven is in charge of the classified information."

707- "Yup, and I'm also the one who created this app. I went to her place to connect this app with several of her own documents.

Jumin Han- "I see."

V- "Luciel and I are the only ones who know Rika's address."

Who was Luciel?

Kao- "Who is Luciel?"

707- "Gah! Guess the secret is out, that's me :p"

V- "Yes, Seven's real name is Luciel."

Kao- "Woah, it really is holy."

707- "Haha XD"

Jaehee Kang- "It truly it is a strange name."

It was, but I liked it. It was very unique.

V- "Anyhow, Kao, please do not reveal the address."

Kao- "Of course."

I understood why it should be kept a secret.

V- "Thank you for your understanding. No one is going to her apartment, correct?

Jumin Han- "Of course not."

Zen- "No."

Jaehee Kang- "No."

Yoosung- "...I guess not."

V- "Good. But if it's someone who knows the address and password, then it might be someone that Rika trusted. Kao, you said someone had answered the phone when you called them correct?"

Kao- "Yes."

V- "That person might have been close to Rika, I don't know why they pretended to live there, but there must be a reason.

Kao- You think the person was pretending?"

707- "Yeah, no one lives in the apartment right now."

Yoosung- "Someone Rika trusted...?"

Zen- "?"

Jumin Han- "It's strange that she trusted someone else more then V."

Yoosung- "It's strange that she trusted someone more then all of us...I can't believe that."

V- "Rika was complicated. She...had her own world. But if I am correct. Then Kao being at her apartment must have been what she wanted."

...What? Rika wanted me here? How? Wasn't she dead? Was unknown possibly someone Rika had hired?

Jumin Han- "How is that possible?"

V- "Rika wanted someone to do the work that she did, so she must have found someone to get a new successor.

Woah woah wait. New successor? Just what was I succeeding? The association? This chatroom?

Yoosung- "WHAT?!"

Zen- "No way..."

Jaehee Kang- "Hosting parties...that would be passed onto someone else?"

Yoosung- "Rika might have planned this?"

This was getting serious. Much more serious then I had originally thought.

V- "It is merely a guess. She...didn't exactly leave a will."

707- "And I looked into Kao, she's not dangerous."

Hm.

Kao- "What is this chatroom for exactly?"

Yoosung- "Rika created RFA for fundraising purposes. We would host parties and raise money for organizations. It was so fun..."

Zen- "Yeah, we held a couple, but ever since Rika passed away we haven't held a single one."

707- "The chatroom became a place to talk about personal problems.

So that was it...

Jumin Han- "I'm not sure about this. Does that mean we're just accepting Kao and letting her take Rika's spot?

Huh?

V- "She knows about the classroom anyhow. It's not like we can make her forget."

Jaehee Kang- "That is true."

Zen- "If that's what V thinks, then I guess...I don't know how I feel about it though."

Jumin Han- "I don't understand.

707- "If that's your decision I won't oppose it."

Kao- OK WAIT."

The chat was silenced.

Kao- "Can I please state my opinion briefly?"

V- "Of course."

Kao- "What do you mean accepted? Like a part of this chatroom? I didn't ask for this."

V- "Your right, I didn't consider your opinion, I apologize."

Jaehee Kang- "Even if you want to join or not, I still can't trust you, my apologies."

Kao- "Me?"

Jaehee Kang- "Yes. "

I had trust issues. So I could understand.

Kao- "Don't worry Jaehee, I completely understand. I would do the same exact thing if I were you. To be honest, I don't know you all very well either. And I'm not sure about all of this..."

Jumin Han- "I appreciate your maturity."

Jaehee Kang- "Yes, thank you Kao."

V- "Thank you for your opinion Jaehee, but I would like it if you could trust me for now, you as well Jumin, I am sure Kao can be trusted. Kao can you hear us out?"

Kao- "Yeah."

Jumin Han- "..Very well."

Jaehee Kang- "Of course."

Jumin Han- "It's just, I don't even know who she is."

Zen- "I don't know why, but I trust her already."

707- "Me too, she seems trustworthy."

Kao- "Thanks..."

I was still confused on what was going on. Was I now a part of this chatroom? Taking Rika's place?

V- "Perhaps Kao was chosen by Rika. For now, please trust me."

707- "I'll look into Unknown and the person on the phone."

V- "Yes, thank you Luciel, Kao, please don't touch anything in the apartment, for classified reasons and in case the alarm would ring.

...I decided not to touch the desk again.

V- "I'm afraid I have to go now, Luciel, can you explain the rest?"

707- "Of course. You'll have automatic access to guest's information and be able to contact them for the party, you'll be able to send personal messages of course. No one else has it because they won't be in charge of the parties.

Hold it.

Kao- "Wait what?"

707- "?"

Kao- "In charge of parties? I never agreed to this. I have a life, friends, a job. I'm busy, I may not have time for this. And having all of this on my shoulders is too much."

It was true. I never signed up for this.

707- "...We won't force you."

Jumin Han- "Either way works."

Jaehee Kang- "I agree."

Zen- "..."

Yoosung- "Please join!"

Jumin Han- "Yoosung, stop."

Yoosung- "Please...V hardly talks to us anymore. We haven't had any fundraising parties since Rika died... We need a leader. And I feel like I can trust you!"

Jaehee Kang- "Yoosung stop, it is not your place to tell her what you want her to do."

The truth was...I enjoyed talking to everyone. But did anyone even want me to join? Other then Yoosung? I felt like they were unsure about it. How did they feel about me? If they didn't want me to join then I wouldn't.

Kao- "Do you guys even want me to join? Other then Yoosung?"

There was silence.

707- "I do."

I blinked in surprise...Seven?

707- "I think...we need it. As a organization we need a leader to take Rika's place. And V can't bear to do that."

Jaehee Kang- "You don't seem like a bad person, I would like to get to know you better."

Zen- "I miss the parties we used to hold. I want things to return to the way they were again. So yes.

Kao- "...Jumin?"

My hands were sweating again. My nervousness had come back again. There was a long pause.

Jumin Han- "I'll see how you do."

Joy flooded my heart. And my cheeks flushed.

Kao- "Then...I'll try my best."

Jumin Han- "That's a good attitude to have."

Jaehee Kang- "I agree."

707- "Looking forward to it Kao."

Zen- "Cant wait to see how you do."

I smiled idiotically, I didn't even know what I was supposed to do exactly. But I knew that I would be talking to them almost everyday after this.

And that made me happy.

* * *

I made my way home while chatting to each of the members individually.

Jaehee, though seeming strict was actually very hardworking and caring. She seemed lonely and we immediately hit it off, fan girling about Zen and complaining about work.

Jaehee Kang- "-And he always gives me his cat!"

Kao- "But Elizabeth 3rd is so beautiful T - T"

Jaehee Kang- "It's hair gets all over my suit, and covers my apartment. But Mr. Han simply does not care.

Kao- "I could take care of her if you want. I love cats."

Jaehee Kang- "If you did that I would be incredibly grateful, though you would have to ask Mr. Han."

Kao- "He's your boss, right?

Jaehee Kang- "Yes...unfortunately.

Kao- "XD lol"

Jaehee Kang- "It's nothing to laugh about, he doesn't care about me at all. Which is fine, I suppose, his money makes up for it.

Kao- "Haha XD."

Zen was...well Zen. So charming and seductive, almost every comment he made was him flirting. Which...I didn't hate at all. Even I flirted a little back.

Zen- "So you did see it~"

Kao- "Just a little...-/-"

Zen- "Haha, your blushing. So cute. Well? Favorite scene?"

Kao- "Of "The Red Pepper Was So Hot?"

Zen- "Yup."

Kao- "That's...private."

Zen- "Tell me? Please?~"

Kao- "No!"

Zen- "Why not?"

Kao- "It's a secret!"

Zen- ";o"

Zen- "I'll never send you a picture of my incredibly handsome face then~"

Kao- "Zen!"

Zen- "Haha."

Yoosung was so relatable, I found out that he played LOLOL a game that I had played off and off in between my working days.

Kao- "I'm almost at Dia."

Yoosung-"Woah~ Already?!"

Kao- "Mhm, dont underestimate the girl who played this almost everyday a few years ago."

Yoosung- "I won't make that mistake again! What level exactly?"

Kao- "Not telling, I'll make it to Dia first. And then I'll pvp you!"

Yoosung- "And lose."

Kao- "Nupe, win. And I'll get all dem monez."

Yoosung- "Hey! Now your underestimating me!"

Kao- "Ya, I'm your senpai."

Yoosung- "Your just a year older!"

Kao- ":P"

Jumin on the other hand was harder to talk to. I was careful and formal when I talked to him. But when we agreed on a point, I knew it was him being honest about it, and we agreed that we gave each other good ideas.

Jumin Han- "Elizabeth 3rd?"

Kao- "Yes."

Jumin Han- "That's quite a jump in our relationship, she's the most precious thing in the universe."

Kao- "I will have to work for her?"

Jumin Han- "Yes, Elizabeth 3rd requires work to even touch."

Kao- "What do I have to do?"

Jumin Han- "That one idea about Elizabeth 3rd drinking wine, that was satisfying. I would appreciate it if you would give me more like that."

Kao- "Of course. Anything for Elizabeth 3rd. And then I'll be able to take care of her?

Jumin Han- "On business trips only."

Kao- "Thanks Jumin."

Jumin Han- "Your welcome. I'm glad there's finally someone who loves her almost as much as I do excluding Seven.

Kao- "Always happy to help."

Finally Seven. So weird and quirky, I felt like our conversations could last forever. And I never got tired of talking to him.

Kao- "AND THEN?!"

707- "AND THEN I STOLE DEM BUDDAH CHIPS!"

Kao- "NOOOOO!"

707- "YASS! AND THE GANG CHASED ME!

Kao- "0.0. Did you get away?!"

707- "Guess~"

Kao- "YOU DID!"

707- "I DID!"

Kao- "MASTER SEVEN!"

707- "MUHAHAHAHA. And then, I went back to my warehouse. And filled it up completely.

Kao- "With Honey Buddah Chips!"

707- "Yup! My smuggled Honey Buddah Chips. And I'm eating them to this day."

Kao- "*gasp* They haven't gone stale yet?

707- "Nope, cause their special. That's why none can be found even on the black market."

Kao- "Will...you ever let me taste one?"

707- "Hmm...maybe."

Kao- "Yes!"

707- "^^"

Little did I know that at that time. There was much more going on then I thought, much darker things behind the scenes.

Ok done! Did anyone even make it here? Or did everyone stop reading... Aaa! Idk. And reviews would be greatly appreciated and follows too, cause I'm going to update this a good amount.

Next chapter a new (important) character is introduced!


	2. The Man With The Green Eyes

Chapter 2- The man with the green eyes

Oooo, someone's reading this. Thank you! *bows* Even if it's just one person who gets to read this, I'm happy to write this! ^^, though...follows and reviews would be nice haha. Enjoy! The dialogue will be more original from now on, don't worry! New character is introduced! Well, kind of new. I wonder who it is~

* * *

"Rika! Wait!"

"Get away from me V!"

"Please!" V reached for the wrist of the woman with the long flowing blonde hair. She slapped V and stepped back. V didn't even seem to notice. "Rika. I love you."

"I don't love you." She said cooly. V flinched. A expression of pure, undeniable pain on his face.

"You don't mean that."

"I do. Get away from me."

"It was just a suggestion! Please, Rika!"

"No! You ruined everything! Everything!" Rika clutched her face, moaning. "You have no idea, what you did. To me! To Yoosung! To RFA!"

"Rika!"

"Everything is over for me!" Rika clenched her fists turning away from her fiance. V followed her.

"Please, just explain to me, I don't even know what I did!" Rika shook her head and reached for the door knob. V stepped in front of her.

"V, go away!"

"I won't let you leave, Rika, I love you too much." Rika lunged for his face, scratching him. V cried in pain and Rika pushed him away, running out of the room frantically...She was sobbing.

-ping-

She ran out….sobbing…

-ping-

Huh?

-ping-

My eyes opened slowly, quickly closing again when bright light flooded into my vision. Was I...dreaming? I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes. V and...Rika? What happened again? It was fuzzy, fading in and out of my grasping fingers. I groaned, rubbing my eyes. Too late, the dream was gone. I was still tired, I had stayed up until 1 talking to the other members, I didn't regret it at all though.

-ping-

I glanced at my bedside and grabbed my phone. A few of the members were talking, I smiled a little, and clicked on the textbox.

Kao has joined the chatroom

Jaehee Kang- "I doubt it"

707- "OH! It's Kao!"

Yoosung- "T - T Jaehee...you're mean…"

Jaehee Kang- "Good morning Kao."

Yoosung- "Kao!"

Kao- "Good morning Jaehee, Seven, Yoosung."

Jaehee Kang- "I'm simply stating the truth."

Kao- "What's going on?"

Yoosung- "Jaehee is bullying me T - T"

Kao- "Isn't that Jumin's role?"

707- "Lolol, ya. Jaehee is explaining why Yoosung doesn't have a girlfriend"

Kao- "Ahh…"

Yoosung- "Kao! Would you date me if you had the chance!?"

Jaehee Kang- "Don't drag Kao into this."

707- "Too late."

Uhhhh...Would I? I wasn't sure, Yoosung was nice and kind, and we both played LOLOL. Hm.

Kao- "Uhh...not sure."

Yoosung- "See! She didn't flat out reject me!"

707- "She might have just said that to be polite lolol."

Jaehee Kang- "I agree. Please don't spoil him Kao."

Yoosung- "Waaaaah! T - T"

Kao- "Well, Yoosung is cute! I don't see why a girl wouldn't want to date him."

707- "Lol."

Yoosung- "KAO! Thank you!"

Kao- "^^"

Jaehee Kang- "He spends too much time playing video games, he doesn't even study, and he doesn't exercise."

Yoosung- "I would get along with a girl that plays video games too then!"

Kao- "Ya, perhaps Yoosung needs to find the right person."

707- "Maybe…"

Jaehee Kang- "Perhaps...I am merely worried for his safety is all."

Kao- "Yeah, no worries."

707- "Kao, did you eat breakfast yet?"

Kao- "No, just got up lol"

Jaehee Kang- "How did you sleep?"

Kao- "Pretty good! I was really tired when I went to bed. I had a weird dream though."

707- "Hm? What was it about?"

Yoosung- "Oohh! Dream time!"

Kao- "I remember it was about Rika and V...that's it though."

Yoosung- "Really?"

Jaehee Kang- "How interesting."

707- "Nice lolol"

Zen has entered the chatroom

Zen- 'Hey~ Look's like the whole gang is here."

Yoosung- "Hey Zen!"

Jaehee Kang- "Good morning Zen."

Kao- "Hiya!"

707- "Hey hey"

Kao- "We're missing Jumin, but yeah, almost everyone is here."

Zen- "That cat fanatic won't be missed."

707- "I'm still here! MEOW~ =^.^="

Kao- "Me too! Meow!"

Zen- "-_-; Kao, glad to see you didn't abandon us over the night."

Kao- "Nope! I'm excited!"

Yoosung- "Me too! I can't wait!

707- "Same! I miss the parties meow!"

Jaehee Kang- "I feel the same. The joy of having another girl in the chatroom is very nice as well."

Kao- "Poor Jaehee...having to be surrounded by men…"

Zen- "I don't think it's that bad~"

Jaehee Kang- "It was stressful, especially with Mr. Han in it, I had no companionship."

Kao- "I'm here now!"

Jaehee Kang- "Yes, thank you Kao :)"

Kao- "I have to eat breakfast and then go to work, I'll talk to you guys later?"

707- "Awww~ Leaving so soon?"

Yoosung- "I wanted to hear more about the dream!"

Zen- "I just came in haha, but better do that yeah."

Jaehee Kang- "I look forward to talking to you later."

Kao- "Yup!"

Kao has left the chatroom.

I got out of bed and changed feeling warm and fuzzy. My friends at work rarely talked to me, going out last night had been a special occasion and had ended with them leaving me. Was it sad that this was the first group of friends I had talked to like this in years…? Probably. Either way I was happy. I walked over to my wardrobe and opened the doors looking at my clothes….Yuck. I needed a shopping day, badly.

I grabbed a light blue blouse and put it on, trying on a white pair of jeans and combing my hair, putting it in a braid like I always did. I stared at my face in the mirror. 707 and Zen's comments about me being 'cute' still stood out to me. I had never considered myself to be cute, and though people had called me so, I always assumed they were just saying it to be nice. I had wide hazel eyes and chocolate colored hair. I was fairly tall and had nice eyes and a cute fa- GAH I couldn't do it. Thinking of myself in that way was abnormal and flat out strange. I sighed, blowing my bangs out of my hair, heading downstairs.

I loved my apartment. It was small, modern, and convenient. Large glass windows greeted me as I stepped onto the lowermost floor. Right in front of me, a small kitchen like area was sitting in the corner with a small wooden table that could seat two people. To my left were large glass windows that acted as the wall. A couch faced the windows behind a transparent coffee table with a rose sitting in the white vase that sat on it. A small balcony could be accessed by pushing one of the windows back, on it was a small lawn chair and table. Behind me was a small hallway leading to the only bathroom. I walked over to the small kitchen, my socks making a soft padding noise. I grabbed a small quick breakfast for myself and a cup of green tea (not a fan of coffee), walking over to the couch near the windows. When it wasn't a messy meal I preferred sitting on the couch so I could get a good view of the Korean Skyline. Which was beautiful.

Buildings stretched up both shorter and taller than the one I lived in. I could see streets zigzagging through the buildings like a spiderweb, miniscule cars slowly moved along. It was a perfect day, white puffy clouds floated through the baby blue sky, giving me all the light I needed. Hmm...I grabbed my phone, turning on the notifications and volume, watching the chat, not entering it.

-ping-

Yoosung- "What do you think Seven? Would you date Kao if you had the chance?"

Wat now? I immediately decided not to join the chatroom. I munched my cereal and stared at my screen nervously.

707- "Ehh…lolol"

Zen- "Hey, you can't back out, we all answered the question."

Jaehee Kang- "Yes, even me."

707- "I met her yesterday."

Zen- "It's a hypothetical question."

707- "lol"

Zen- "Don't just say "lol"

707- "lol"

Zen- "-_-"

Yoosung- "Come on Seven! Tell us!"

Jaehee Kang- "You're the one who proposed the question, it wouldn't be fair if you didn't answer it yourself."

707- "haha"

Zen- "I don't know why you're making such a big deal about this. Usually you would just reply with a stupid joke."

707- "lol, ur right. Well, no, lol, I wouldn't"

Ouch. Wait, what ouch? There was nothing 'ouch' about it, it was normal. I told myself. We had just met each other yesterday.

707- "MY LOVE BELONGS TO ELIZABETH 3RD! Meow!~" A cat emoji appeared.

Zen- "There's the usual stupid seven answer."

Yoosung- "Jeez, you could have said that in the first place. And isn't that kind of rude?"

Jaehee Kang- "I agree, it was hypothetical."

707- "Nope, I can't fall in love with anyone but Elizabeth 3rd."

Zen- "-_-"

Yoosung- "Hm…"

Zen- "Hope you won't mind if I take Kao for myself~"

I re read the text. What now?

Yoosung- "GAAHH!"

Jaehee Kang- "Zen, please stop joking around. You know you are not in a position to date anyone."

Zen- "Dating yeah, not flirting though~"

Yoosung- "You just met her!"

Zen- "She's cute."

There it was again. I wasn't cute, personality wise or physically.

707- "Go ahead."

Ouch, there it was again.

Zen- "Sweet"

I didn't care. I was happy that he was being honest. Okay...that was a lie, yeah. But it was fine! My fingers were trembling and I reached to turn my phone off when my finger lightly touched a text box.

Kao has entered the chatroom

Oh that wasn't good. CRAP WHY? What was I supposed to say? Oh hey guys, yeah it's cool seven I don't mind. That would be so awkward! Hell no! I waited a bit, there was silence, I decided to play it cool.

Kao- "Lol, decided I could eat while talking, what's up?"

Yoosung- "Oh, nothing"

Jaehee Kang- "Hello Kao."

Zen- "Hello again~"

707- "Hey."

...It was awkward wasn't it?

Kao- "Did I miss anything?"

Zen- "You can scroll up to view the previous chat."

707- "Don't bother lolol, nothing important."

Kao- "Oh, all right."

Yoosung- "What are you eating?"

Kao- "Cereal!"

Yoosung- "Oo! What kind?"

Kao- "Honey Buddha Cereal! The best!"

707- "YOU HAVE HONEY BUDDHA CEREAL? HOW?!"

Kao- "I worked with someone who has connections with the manufacturers at my job a few months ago. They were happy with what I did so they rewarded me with a ton of it as a bonus."

707- "THAT'S AN OFF BRAND OF HONEY BUDDHA CHIPS!"

Kao- "I know~ They're so good."

Yoosung- "I've never had either the chips or cereal...but I want them!"

707- "THEY'RE JUST AS RARE AS THE CHIPS!"

Kao- "YUP! 0"

707- "You didn't tell me!"

Kao- "I wanted to keep it safe! You're going to sneak in and steal all of my cereal now!"

707- "What?! How did you know?!"

Kao- "I would do the same thing with your chips if I had your mad skills."

707- "Darn"

The tension was gone, I was glad.

Jaehee Kang- "I'm...lost"

Zen- "Me too;;"

Yoosung- "I kind of understand!"

707- "You better watch Kao, 22 yr old prodigy coming after u."

Kao- "I'll lock my doors, get my buddha taser ready."

707- "You wouldn't!"

Kao- "Try me."

707- "Damn~"

I glanced at the time. Crap.

Kao- "Sorry, gtg for real this time. Talk to everyone later! Tell Jumin I said hi!"

707- "Later Kao"

Zen- "Bye bye"

Kao has left the chatroom

Jaehee Kang- "Good bye."

Yoosung- "Bai!"

I grabbed my sweater on my couch and grabbed my cereal, watching the chat while I put it in the sink.

Yoosung- "...Do you think she read what seven said?"

Zen- "Doesn't seem like it."

Yoosung- "Hmm."

Jaehee Kang- "I must go as well, Mr. Han's day off has cost me dearly, and I should get to my paperwork. Good bye everyone.

Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom

Zen- "Poor Jaehee…"

Yoosung- "Ya…I should get going to, I have classes to get to!"

Yoosung has left the chatroom

Zen- "If everyone's going I should too, see ya seven."

Zen has left the chatroom

707- "Yup, bye"

There was a silence.

707 has left the chatroom

I shut my phone off and opened the door, closing and locking it behind me. I half sprinted and walked to the elevator, running everyone's words over and over again in my head.

* * *

"YOU'RE LATE!" I flinched.

"Yes Mr. Loung I apologize." I said quickly. Mr. Loung made a frustrated noise and sharply pointed to my small little office corner. I smiled tensely and hurried over to it. Usually he wouldn't care as much, but since I had been late for the past 4 days he was getting increasingly angry every time. I sat in my chair and wheeled towards the screen tapping the keyboard. I typed in my username and password quickly like I did every day and observed my surroundings as I was getting logged in.

"You were yelled at by Mr. Loung too?" I blinked and looked to my right surprised when I saw a new face poking out of the office divider. It looked like he was the same age I was. His hair was a pale white, tinted slightly crimson at the tips. His eyes were a emerald green, like a forest of pine...stretching out for miles. His face was nicely sculpted, and slightly familiar. "Hello?"

"Huh?" I realized I was staring at him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't expecting a new face." My cheeks flushed a light tinge of pink. He grinned around the divider.

"No worries."

"And yeah, Mr. Loung has yelled at me for the past four days now." I said sadly. The young man's smile faded.

"Ouch."

"Yup."

"What's your name? I'm Jeong Soo, but just call me Jeong."

"Kao Eun, likewise." I shook his outstretched hand grinning like an idiot, another friend! Another...hot friend!

"So," He paused, thinking of a conversation starter. "How long have you been working here?"

"Around a year now." I responded.

"Fairly recent then."

"Yeah."

"Can you tell me any tips?"

"About the job?"

"Yup."

"Hmm, don't be late." I said swiftly. He chuckled.

"Anything else?"

"Well. Find colleagues quickly, they'll help you through the first few weeks. The first weeks are rough."

"Guess you count as one then." He said. I smiled in response. I guess so.

"How did you get into finance?" I asked.

"Parents." He said swiftly.

"You?"

"School." I replied with a quick laugh.

"How do you like the job?" He asked, leaning on his chair now. I stayed silent as I processed the question.

"It's ok, it pays well enough you know? And I'm pretty good at it, so I'm happy enough. I don't really get out though." I said sadly. It was the truth. Jeong nodded, his green eyes flicking above me and then back to mine with a warning in them. I didn't need to turn around, I could feel Mr. Loung's irritated stare hammering a hole into the back of my head. Silently, we turned around and started working, holding back snickers.

* * *

Annnnnnd DONE! I stretched in my chair, leaning back and sighing. The feeling I got when I was done with work was like when the school bell ring at the end of eighth period. I was done for the day! I glanced at my clock, 6 o' clock. Hey, not too bad. I cast a glance around the divider at Jeong who didn't seem to notice me. His green eyes were emotionless, like he was bored, his fingers were flying across the keyboard automatically. I raised an eyebrow and stared at the appearing and disappearing data on screen. Damn, he was good. I stared at his face again. It was the polar opposite from when we were talking earlier. Without emotion, like a robot. It was kind of scary.

I silently slid away from the divider and stared at my black computer screen. Instinctively, I pulled out my phone, happy when I saw several white textboxes hovering on the screen.

Zen has left the chatroom

Kao has entered the chatroom

Jumin Han- "Good afternoon Kao."

Jaehee Kang- "Hello Kao."

Kao- "Hey, guess I just missed Zen."

Jaehee Kang- "Yes, he had to leave. How was work?"

Kao- "Oh, the same as usual. New guy though."

Jumin Han- "I see."

Kao- "Hello Jumin, didn't see you earlier."

Jumin Han- "Yes, I was looking after Elizabeth 3rd. But I have an announcement to make."

Kao- "Oh?"

Jumin Han- "Assistant Kang, should I wait until more people get here? We are missing Luciel, Zen, and Yoosung now."

Jaehee Kang- "They can always read the messages. But perhaps it is the best to wait, yes."

Jumin Han- "All right, I'll announce it later on tonight then. Kao, do you think you'll be online later?"

Kao- "Yes, most likely"

Jumin Han- "Good."

Jaehee Kang- "In the meantime, do you have any questions?"

Kao- "?"

Jaehee Kang- "About your new position in RFA."

Did I? I suppose I didn't really know what I was supposed to be doing.

Kao- "Can you remind me what I'm supposed to do again? Sorry."

Jaehee Kang- "It's all right. As Rika's replacement you're in charge of inviting guests, and deciding factors such as where it will be, what kind of party it will be and who we will be fundraising for."

Rika's replacement...A tightness clamped over my heart. I didn't like that term.

Jumin Han- "V usually sets the dates, so you don't have to worry about that. However, if you really want to change it, he should oblige."

Kao- "I see, thank you for clarifying. Any people I should invite in particular?"

Jumin Han- "People in organizations are nice, they usually bring others along with them. But single guests are fine, even family members."

Kao- "All right, has V set the date yet?"

Jumin Han- "Not yet, you've just started after all. We don't want to overwhelm you."

Kao- "Thanks Jumin."

Jumin Han- "Only doing what I must for a fellow member."

"Done with work?" I looked up from my phone, shutting it off instinctively. Jeong glanced at my phone briefly and then at me, smiling.

"Yeah." I said, recovering.

"Want to get something to eat?" He grinned. I stared at him in mild surprise. Was he...asking me out? Or just being nice? Maybe trying to understand the work more? _It didn't seem like he needed any help though._ He was probably being nice, it was just dinner.

"I would like that." I said, smiling. Even if it was simply a nice gesture, it made me happy. He nodded, and turned around, grabbing his light jacket and flinging it over his shoulder, casting a glance at me.

"Let's go." Nodding, I following him. We walked side by side along the aisle, past cubicles that were empty and others that were full. We walked past a long row of window panes, I stared at my shifting reflection. Jeong was fairly tall, taller than I was, his hands were in his pants, his face was expressionless, with his white tinted hair hanging over his green eyes. His hair color was strange, I had never seen it before. But it suited him well. We reached the elevator and stopped abruptly. "You don't have to be so stiff, you know." I glanced at him in surprise. Was I being stiff?

"Sorry." I scratched my head nervously. "This is the first time someone has asked me out for dinner in years." I admitted, I immediately regretted what I said. Would he think I was sad? Pathetic? Instead, he laughed. He had a nice laugh, for a minute his green eyes softened.

"Me too, believe me." He said. I gaped at him in awe.

"What? Really? You're so good looking." He grinned at me.

"Nope, you're the first one in years."

"Liar!"

"Nu uh."

"Yeah huh!" I responded. The elevator dinged and we stepped into it, the doors closing behind us."

"I was never much of a smooth talker." He admitted.

"You are now." I said quickly, looking down. What was I saying? _Stop being so honest!_ Jeong didn't seem to mind though.

"I try. But I was timid as a child." He said. His eyes seemed to narrow slightly, and his cold demeanor returned. Bad memories? I tried to come up with a new subject.

"Where did you go to school?" I asked.

"Sky university." He said, his expression brightening a little.

"Me too!"

"What really?"

"Yeah!"

"What was your favorite professor?" I asked, my nervousness gone.

"Oh god." He leaned against the wall, thinking.

"Mrs. Hwa most likely."

"Computer sciences?" I asked.

"That's the one."

Two hours later.

* * *

"And I said to him, the trick is not getting too greedy. They were exporting way too much and hardly getting enough imports."

"He didn't know that?" Jeong asked incredulously. I shook my head, grinning.

"I know, that's like the basics of financing." I replied.

"Wow, pathetic."

"Yeah, I thought the same thing." I said with a laugh.

"How'd they even last that long?" Jeong asked, his chin, staring at me while I finished eating.

"Well." I finished swallowing. "Honey Buddha products are amazing, no matter if it's cereal or chips."

"I've never had them." Jeong said sadly.

"Well...when we're closer. Maybe." I promised. His eyes brightened.

"Really?"

"You bet." I answered, drinking my wine. He grinned.

"Sweet."

There was an abrupt ringtone and Jeong cast a look at his phone and then at me.

"I have to get this, sorry."

"No worries." I said. Jeong got up, grabbing his phone and mouthing one minute while he walked towards the bathrooms. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes and opening them again to check my phone, 8:15, wow. Everything happened so quickly because it was so enjoyable. This was what I was missing for the last 4 years? A message appeared on the screen. Crap, I had completely forgot about RFA.

Kao has joined the chatroom

Yoosung- "Kao! There you are."

Kao- "I'm really sorry! I was interrupted, and I've been preoccupied for the last two hours T-T"

Jumin Han- "It's all right. We are waiting for Luciel anyhow."

Yoosung- "What were you doing?"

Was it all right to tell them about my personal life? It was, right? I

Kao- "Having dinner with the new guy."

Jaehee Kang- "...Dinner?"

Kao- "Uhh, nothing serious lol. Just a friendly gesture."

Jaehee Kang- "That sounds lovely, how did it go?"

Kao- "I loved it. The two hours passed quickly, I'm really sorry about not responding."

Jumin Han- "Just make sure next time you say so when you are going somewhere. You didn't even exit the chatroom and we were wondering where you went, the system logged you off eventually."

Kao- "Sorry Jumin."

Jumin Han- "Don't worry about it."

I glanced up, seeing Jeong walking towards me.

Kao- "One sec, I'll be back."

Kao has left the chatroom

I shut off my phone and raised an eyebrow at Jeong who scratched his head nervously.

"Sorry Kao, I have to go."

A flicker of disappointment brushed my heart. I laughed to brush it off.

"No worries, thanks for the dinner it was great." I said.

"I'm glad." He reached in his pocket, grabbing his wallet and carelessly leaving a 50 dollar bill on the table after signing the check.

"Hey-" I began.

"Nope." He pointed a finger at me. "I'm paying."

"No, I should." I said, standing up. His index finger touched my lips softly and I froze.

"Hush." He said smiling. "See you later." Jeong winked at me and headed out, my eyes watched him until he was out of sight. Did he just...wink at me? My cheeks flushed slightly and I touched my cheeks in embarrassment. Nonononono, Kao. Get a hold of yourself. Wait. DID HE JUST TOUCH MY LIPS? I shook my head. Grabbing my bag and phone and shakily walking out.

It the sun was almost down, and the night was starting to come alive. I hurried back home, my cheeks pink. I didn't even remember the last time something like this had happened. Get a hold of yourself! He was just being nice….No, no one did that as a nice gesture. He was just...just. GAH! My brain was melting. What was I doing with my life?

* * *

When I got home I plopped on my couch, screaming inside my pillow. I was 22 years old for crying out loud! I was beyond this. But all I saw was his face when I closed my eyes. Crap, crap, crap. I needed to clear my head, slowly getting up, I opened my screen door, letting the warm air hit my face. It wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, it was April after all, so the heat wasn't too bad. I leaned on the railing and stared out into the skyscrapers. That was right, I should probably check in again. Scared of dropping my phone, I sat in the lawn chair and turned on my phone.

Kao has joined the chatroom

707- "Nope lol, oh Kao"

Yoosung- "Yay! Kao!"

Jaehee Kang- "Everyone except V is here now."

Zen- "Good evening Kao~"

Jumin Han- "Welcome back."

Kao- "Hey everyone, here to stay now, back home."

Jumin Han- "That's good."

Yoosung- "So, announcement?"

Jumin Han- "Yes, I was thinking since Kao is new at the job and might be lost on how to gather guests, we could do it with her for a day or so.

707- "Good idea."

Jumin Han- "I was also thinking that we were more distant with Kao than the others because we have never actually seen her directly, or talked face to face."

Yoosung- "Yeah?"

Jumin Han- "So I scheduled a trip to Busan for all of us tomorrow.

Wat.

Yoosung- "WHAT?"

Jaehee Kang- "Mr. Han…;;"

Zen- "Are you joking?"

707- "lololwat?"

Kao- "Tomorrow?!"

Jumin Han- "Yes."

Zen- "I have work!"

Yoosung- " I have school…"

Jaehee Kang- "I have work as well."

707- "Me too, I'm busy."

Kao- "Same."

Jumin Han- "No need to worry, I contacted Yoosung's school and your workplaces to inform them that you will be busy for the day. They sounded beyond fine with it. Seven, I don't know yours, but I trust you can bring a laptop and work on whatever you need to during the trip."

707- "Uhhh...lolol"

Zen- "No, I can't"

Jumin Han- "Too late."

Kao- "I don't know about this Jumin...it's a little late notice don't you think?"

Zen- "A little?! He didn't even ask us!"

Jumin Han- "I knew you would all say no.

Zen- "Yeah, you knew right."

Jumin Han- "It's one full day, leaving the next day in the morning."

Jaehee Kang- "Mr. Han this is too much. I can't come."

Jumin Han- "I order you to come."

Jaehee Kang- "-_-"

Yoosung- "I mean...I'm fine with it. I've never been to Busan! And I get to skip school!"

Jumin Han- "See?"  
Yoosung- "But then I'm missing the double exp training day…in LOLOL."

Jumin Han- "Bring a laptop for the plane ride."

Kao- "Plane ride?!"

Yoosung- "I don't have a laptop T-T I use a computer."

Jumin Han- "I will be paying all the finances, not to worry."

707- "Does V know about this?"

Jumin Han- "He helped me come up with the idea."

Zen- "..."

Kao- "I'll be behind…with work."

Jumin Han- "I'll get someone to help you, don't worry. Is everyone good then?"

Kao- "When are we leaving? Where are we meeting up?"

Jumin Han- "I'll pick you all up and go the airport at around 4."

4?

Zen- "I'm not ok with this."

Jumin Han- "Too late."

Zen- "-_-..."

Jaehee Kang- "I am also unhappy about this, but it seems I do not have a choice."

Jumin Han- "Nope."

Yoosung- "I'm looking forward to it."

It was only a day trip, and Jumin was covering the expenses. And Busan! I had been there years ago. I would be able to skip work. _You won't be able to see Jeong though._ Shush, I told myself. It would be fun!

Kao- "I'll... go."

Jumin Han- "That leaves Zen and Luciel."

Zen- "Shoot...is everyone going then? What about V?"

Jumin Han- "V cannot go, but he wants us to have a good time."

Zen- "If V wants us to go...Fine. I can't believe I'm agreeing to this."

707- "I'm not going."

Yoosung- "Whaat?"

Kao- "Why not?"

707- "Too busy lol! The defender of justice needs to stay home and get work done!"

Jumin Han- "Luciel, you can work during the plane ride."

707- "I need to work all day!"

Yoosung- "But it's an RFA trip."

Kao- "Hmm, if he's busy he can't help it. No one else can exactly help him with his work."

707- "Yup! Oh, gtg, talk to ya later."

707 has left the chatroom

Jaehee Kang- "He ran…"

Zen- "Yup."

Yoosung- "Seven isn't going then?"

….Seven wasn't going?

Jumin Han- "No, he's going."

Zen- "Really? Sure didn't seem like it -_-"

Jumin Han- "Don't worry, he will be there tomorrow."

Kao- "So confident."

Jumin Han- "He'll be there, trust me."

Zen- "Knowing that prick's recourses I don't doubt it."

Jumin Han- "You're welcome is what you should be saying, your getting a free vacation."

Zen- "I'm just glad I'm not getting a new role tomorrow..."

Yoosung- "So seven will be there?"

Jumin Han- "I'll make him come."

Kao- "0.0"

Yoosung- "lol

Zen- "-_-"

Jaehee Kang- ";;"

Jumin Han- "Glad that's over with, I'll be seeing everyone around 4 then. I must feed Elizabeth 3rd, Assistant Kang, you tell them the things they'll need. It should be the same as business trips.

Jaehee Kang- "..."

Jumin Han- "Then I'll see everyone tomorrow."

Jumin Han has left the classroom

Zen- "I can't believe he just left like that. He thinks he can do anything with his money."

Yoosung- "He can though...can't he?"

Zen- "-_-"

Jaehee Kang- "I will go over what you should bring then. Money obviously, a changes of clothes, swimming gear in case we go to the beach, sunscreen, sunglasses...do I really have to go over this?

Zen- "Don't bother Jaehee, we know, don't worry."

Jaehee Kang- "Very well."

Zen- " I'm going to practice my lines and go to bed early. Have to wake up at 4 tomorrow, hurrah, so excited."

Zen has left the chatroom

Yoosung- "Hurrah!~ Me too!"

Kao- "Yoosung… I think he was being sarcastic."

Yoosung- "Oh...Well, am I the only one looking forward to this trip?"

Kao- "No, I am as well. Busan is a lovely city."

Yoosung- "Kao, you've been there before?"

Kao- "Yeah, my parents took me there when I was in middle school."

Yoosung- "Lucky!"

Kao- "XD What about you Jaehee?"

A few seconds passed.

Kao- "Jaehee?"

Jaehee Kang- "I apologize, I was having a mental breakdown."

Yoosung- "Jaehee…"

Kao- "I'm sorry that you have to deal with this…"

Jaehee Kang- "Thank you for worrying. I'm just panicking about the paperwork I will have to handle while we are sightseeing...but it should be fun. Besides, I am looking forward to getting to know you Kao."

I was touched. Jaehee had to deal with so much, but she always did her best.

Kao- "Thank you Jaehee ^^"

Jaehee Kang- "Of course."

Yoosung- "Me too! I want to see what you look like!"

Kao- "I want to get to know all of you better as well. I'm looking forward to it"

Yoosung- "GAAH! I'm so excited! I won't be able to sleep tonight! FREE DAY TOMORROW! "

I laughed, Yoosung was always so positive.

Yoosung- "Well, I better get enough training in tonight so that I won't be too behind for not being online tomorrow. Bai ^^!"

Jaehee Kang- "Goodbye Yoosung"

Kao- "See you tomorrow!"

Yoosung- "Yup!"

Yoosung has left the chatroom

Kao- "I'm so overwhelmed."

Jaehee Kang- "Yes, it must be tough for you as well. You just joined and you're already going on a business trip with us.

Kao- "Haha, not really, everyone's being really supportive and nice so I'm glad I joined."

Jaehee Kang- "^^ I'm glad"

Kao- "Do you have work to do as well?"

Jaehee Kang- "Yes, I must get a headstart on my paperwork, I will see you tomorrow."

Kao- "Bye!"

Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom

Kao has left the chatroom

I put my phone on the table next to me and rubbed my eyes while getting up. I leaned on the balcony. "GAHHHHHHHH" I screamed into the open, taking a deep breath. So much was going on. Jeong, the RFA members, the business trip. But I was looking forward to it. I smiled to myself and stared at the dark sky. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

GAH IT'S DONE. Whew, this chapter was a little slow for me to write and I'm sure slow to read, but thank you for making it down here.

Next chapter the gang goes to Busan! I'm excited! Don't worry, Seven will be there =~= For those of you who don't know what Busan looks like I recommend looking it up so you can visualize what it looks like for the next chapter! It'll take me longer to upload it though, it'll be a long one.


	3. The Busan Trip (Part 1)

*I'm not gonna lie, this chapter is LOOONNGGG, there are a ton of line breaks and stuff, but I really liked writing it! Still, I recommend taking breaks, enjoy~*

* * *

Chapter 3 (part 1) The Busan Trip

*BRRRRINNGGG*

I sat up abruptly in my bed, grabbing my alarm clock and throwing it across the room. It stopped. I yawned, and pulled back the shades next to my bed. It was still dark out and I could barely see, why had I set the alarm this early? Just a few...more...minutes. I slumped back on my pillow and closed my eyes when they suddenly snapped open. THE BUSINESS TRIP! I scrambled out of my bed and grabbed my bent alarm clock sitting dejectedly on the wooden floor. 3:36. Jumin would be here in half an hour! I had already packed, but I had to eat and get changed.

Yawning I hurried down the stairs. What should I eat? Cereal? Did I have enough time to cook? I decided not to risk it and got cereal again. Honey Buddha Cereal was holy food anyhow. While carrying my bowl, I headed up stairs and opened my closet with my left hand. I was appalled by my options. Yep...I needed a shopping day. What was my nicest outfit? I put my cereal bowl down and pulled out a black and pink dress with frills, letting it fall to the floor. Not comfortable and too formal, this was a trip not a dinner party. After 5 minutes of searching, I ended up with a nice white shirt and short green khakis. I put my hair in a braid like I always did and looked at myself in the mirror. Good right? It was good enough. I grabbed my luggage and slowly hobbled downstairs, getting my cereal afterwards. Now all I had to do was wait. I finished my cereal, brushed my teeth, and plopped down on my couch taking out my phone. No one seemed to be on, but I decided to leave a message anyhow.

Kao has joined the chatroom

Kao- "Anyone awake?" There was no response, I looked outside, it was a little brighter, but still primarily dark.

-ping-

Jaehee Kang has joined the chatroom

Jaehee Kang- "Good morning."

Kao- "Hallo Jaehee, how did you sleep?"

Jaehee Kang- "Not very well I'm afraid, I stayed up late doing paperwork, I only got 4 hours of sleep, but I will be sleeping on the plane ride, even if it's not going to be long."

Kao- "That's too bad."  
Jaehee Kang- "Yes it is a shame, but it can't be helped. By the way, we are stopping at your apartment after Yoosung's. We are currently at his campus waiting for him."

Kao- "Who's with you right now?"

Jaehee Kang- "Just Mr. Han and myself."

Kao- "I see, how does Jumin know where we live?"

Jaehee Kang- "V and Seven informed him."

That made sense.

Kao- "Ahh"

Jaehee Kang- "Oh, Yoosung is coming out right now. I must help him with his luggage, I will see you soon.

Kao- "Yup, bye"

Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom

I twiddled my thumbs and stared out of the window. Wait...did I just twiddle my thumbs? Who even did that anymore?

* * *

The wait was excruciating but when I heard the knock on my door, I practically jumped and sprinted to the door. Wait, my luggage. I sprinted back to the couch and sprinted back to the door, I fixed my hair, and unlocked the door. Jumin stood in front of me, in a black suit and smoothly styled black hair, looking away, his eyes slid to me and he raised an eyebrow.

"Hey Jumin." I said cheerfully. He stayed silent and then responded.

"Kao?"

"Yes."

"Not what I was expecting." He said as his eyes searched my face. His voice was smooth and deep. I raised an eyebrow back.

"Is that good or bad?" I asked.

"I'm happy to see you." Jumin said, disregarding my question. He looked at my luggage. "I'm also happy to see that you already packed, unlike that buffoon Yoosung, whom we had to wait 10 minutes for." I grinned in response. "I have one thing to ask of you though, can you grab a box of that cereal you love?"

"Honey Buddha?" I asked, bewildered. I couldn't imagine Jumin in his fancy black suit munching Honey Buddah Cereal while sitting at a dinner table. Jumin seemed to read my expression and responded quickly.

"Yes, it's not for me."

"Oh, why?"

"You will see." He said. I nodded, setting my luggage in the doorway and opening the upper cupboard, grabbing a unopened box of Honey Buddha Cereal. I walked back to the doorway and stared at him expectantly. He looked at it like it was some kind of strange specimen. "Let's go." He took my two suitcases without asking and started walking down the hall, I followed him holding the box of cereal awkwardly.

"Wasn't Jaehee handling the luggage?" I asked, referring to the chat.

"She's currently in the limousine, refraining Yoosung from running in here to see you, waking up the whole apartment in the process." Jumin said smoothly. I struggled to keep up with his pace and he slowed slightly. A limousine huh…?

"Whose house are we going to next?"

"Zen's" He responded. I decided to stay quiet, I could sense that Jumin wasn't a fan of pointless conversation, and there was no point in making it. There would be plenty of time for that later with the others. Instead, I observed him. Jumin seemed to carry the luggage effortlessly and I wondered if he worked out despite being a businessman. There were so many questions that were popping up in my head. It was so strange, seeing someone I had talked to online in the real world. I smiled to myself.

* * *

The walk down to the limo wasn't awkward, though we barely exchanged words with each other. Jumin was the only one who I could be quiet with without feeling awkward, both in the chat and in real life, though I had just met him. I wondered why. Perhaps because we both knew that sometimes there was nothing to be said, and that was okay.

I said a quick hello to the man who worked at the counter who stared at Jumin like he was a god. We walked through the automatic doors and my heart jumped when I saw the limo. It was beautiful, black and sleek, sitting in the mild darkness. Suddenly, one of the doors opened and I saw an outstretched hand try to grab a young man who dashed out of the limo. He had blonde hair...Yoosung?

"Kao!" He cried running towards me with a smile. I waved energetically.

"Yoosung!" I cried. He hugged me tightly and I laughed, patting him gently on the back.

"Sorry." He said quickly. "I'm just so excited!"

"Me too!" I cried. We held each other's hands and jumped up and down.

"Seven was right! You really are cute!" Yoosung said gleefully.

"Huh?! No you're the one whose cute Yoosung!" I said laughing. We talked a little about LOLOL and about how weird it was to see each other. I looked at the limo, Jumin and another woman slightly shorter than me, stood next to him looking at us like we were children.

"Jaehee?" I called out. The woman smiled and nodded. I hurried towards her, Yoosung following closely behind. Jaehee looked as she normally did with her short hair and glasses, faint bags were under her eyes but she was smiling. I hugged her and felt her shoulders stiffen in surprise before she hugged me back.

"I'm so happy to see you Kao." She said kindly.

"Me too!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, family reunion, shall we go? It's 4:02 already." Jumin said looking at his watch and then at us. Jaehee nodded, getting into the limo, Yoosung grabbed my bags, putting them in the back, jumping in besides Jaehee. I looked at Jumin who turned to get in and hugged him as well. I was in the hugging mood! He stiffened, but didn't push me away, I felt him staring at me over his shoulder. I looked up (he was taller than me after all)

"Thanks for arranging this Jumin." I said with a grin, I released him and got in the limo where Jaehee and Yoosung were sitting. Slowly, Jumin got in, his hand fumbling for the door handle, and we set off for Zen's house.

* * *

Zen's house was surprisingly close to mine, it only took around 11 minutes to get there according to Jumin, though the lack of traffic was the main factor for it. Jumin got out and returned, a few minutes later. An annoyed look was on his face as he carried two suitcases next to Zen (who also looked annoyed) carrying two more and a small knapsack.

"That's a lot of luggage…" Yoosung said as he stared at Zen with wide eyes.

"Yeah." I responded looking out of the window. Zen and I locked eyes through the window and his eyes brightened. Calmly, Jumin left the luggage in front of the limo and got inside. Jaehee sighed, opening the door on her side, going around the limo, grabbing the luggage with difficulty, going back to the trunk, putting in the luggage, and getting back in the limo with a huff. Afterwards, Zen put in his luggage as well and sat in the seat opposite mine.

"Hey Zen!" I said cheerfully. Zen stared at me and then smiled slyly.

"Hello Kao~"

"Excited?" I asked.

"I wasn't when I got up, but now I am." Zen said, winking. He took my hand from my lap and kissed it gently. Jaehee, Yoosung and I stared at him in surprise. I laughed uneasily, I didn't know how to react.

"Oh stop it." Jumin said disapprovingly as he watched us from the front. Zen whipped around to glare at him.

"Just shut up and drive." Zen snapped.

"You think **I** would drive? Jumin asked as if it was an insult.

"Yeah, my bad, of course you would hire someone else to do the dirty work."

"I don't understand why you wouldn't hire someone else to do it if you had the resources. Besides, he's getting paid." Jumin stated as a matter a factly. Zen made a sarcastic retort and the two got into an argument.

"I knew they were like that in the chat, but in real life too?" I asked.

"Yes, unfortunately." Jaehee said with a sigh, pushing her glasses up.

"What's the cereal for?" Yoosung asked, looking at the slightly crushed Honey Buddha cereal box sitting in my hands.

"Oh this? I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with Seven, Jumin told me to get it." I glanced up front, Jumin didn't seem to hear a word we were saying.

"Yes." Jaehee replied. "It's a trick to get Seven to come."

"Oh? Do tell." I could feel an impish grin growing on my face. Jaehee ushered me to come closer and I leaned into her ear as she whispered the plan. Oh man, this was gonna be fun.

* * *

Seven's P.O.V

I would be lying if I said a bit of me didn't want to go to Busan, hell, even after I had quit the chat I had looked it up and researched it. But I couldn't go, I had too much work to do, my boss would kill me if I went on a vacation. I stared at the chat, and glanced back at my screen and back at the chat again. Damn it, I couldn't focus, I buried my head in my hands and took my glasses off. What was wrong with me? Ever since-

-ding-

I looked back at the door in mild surprise. Was that Jumin? I had specifically told him not to come here. Frustrated, I put my glasses back on and walked to the door peeking in the scope. Huh? It wasn't Jumin? No, it was a girl with brown hair and...Kao? I still clearly remembered the picture I had found two days ago. She was holding a box of...HONEY BUDDHA CEREAL? I opened the door without thinking and stared at her, she stared at me, and then I stared at the cereal box, and she grinned. Kao was slightly shorter than me with short bangs and long brown hair put into a braid that hung on her shoulder, her eyes were a light green mixed with hazel.

"Hey Seven." She said.

"Is that for me?" I asked, grinning, I leaned against the door side. She laughed a little.

"Yeah."

"Sweet! I didn't think you'd share it with me!" My mouth was watering.

"Surprised you~" She said slyly. "Don't worry, I'm not here because of Jumin." I let out a breath. That was good.

"Good, because I can't go." I said laughing uneasily. A slightly guilty expression came over her face and I raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong? I asked before I heard a soft voice that said.

"Sorry Seven" and then a cloth was over my mouth and my vision grew dark.

* * *

"Jumin….slow…..bathroom"

"Just...went.."

"Calm down…"

"...Been five...minutes"

"More like three"

"Give the man time."

"I have a mind to barge in whatever he's doing in there." Laughter. Huh? Where was I? I opened my eyes slowly and blinked in surprise when I saw Kao's face leaning over mine.

"Hey guys, he's awake." She said as she looked away.

"About time, it's already 6:59, there wasn't even much of it." Said a voice that most likely belonged to Jumin as he emearged, inspecting my face and turning away without a care.

"Hey Zen, Jumin's back." Yoosung piped.

"Yeah, thanks, be right back." Zen said as he cast a brief sympathetic glance at me, before he went out of my field of vision.

"Seven, are you ok?" Kao asked. I slowly sat up and looked around. I was in a...plane? The small windows on the side revealed a bright blue sky with tufts of white clouds and slivers of sunshine that brightened up the plane. I looked down, I was on a completely folded back seat, surrounded by Kao, Jaehee and Yoosung, Jumin had disappeared.

"What happened?" I asked groggily. The three in front of me cast uneasy glances at each other and Jaehee cleared her throat.

"Well." She started.

"It was Jumin's idea." Yoosung clarified quickly.

"Yeah." Kao added.

"What happened?" I repeated. Kao glanced away and then started talking again.

"Jumin really wanted you to come."

"He made Kao pretend to offer you Honey Buddha Cereal." Yoosung said sadly.

"He knew you wouldn't open the door if anyone else came." Jaehee added. Kao nodded and continued.

"And then-"

"-And then I convinced Zen to knock you out, and we dragged you to the limo, drove to the airport, got on my private jet, and currently we are almost at Busan." Jumin finished as he stood over me, arms crossed. Anger flooded through me.  
"I told you I didn't want to go!" I said forcefully as I glared at Jumin.  
"That's what you told me, but I knew a part of you actually wanted to go." Jumin said calmly. My breathing hitched and I shook my head, looking down.

"You don't understand the consequences that I'll have to face now."

"No, your right. But I trust you'll be able to deal with them."

"That was selfish of you Jumin." I said darkly, managing to keep my temper in check around the others.

"RFA needs this right now. Before Kao, our bonds were breaking, and now that she's here we need a time when we are all together, face to face, and I couldn't wait for the party." Jumin explained. "I couldn't have everyone else but you, it would completely ruin the point. And," His eyes narrowed "You need this right now as well." I grimaced and stayed silent….Was he right? Did I need this?

"Seven, I'm sorry for dragging you into this." Kao said softly. I didn't trust myself to respond, so I stayed silent. I looked into the window to my left and watched the clouds float by slowly.

"I hope you cheer up." Yoosung said sadly. 50% of me was furious at Jumin, 25% of me was feeling slightly happy, and the other 25% was wondering how I should act. If I was sulky the entire trip, I would ruin it for everyone. Jumin was right. We did need this, all of us did. I looked back and forced a small smile.

"It's ok. I'll get the work done when I get back. " I chuckled. "Besides, I've always wanted to go to Busan." Kao grinned, and Yoosung smiled brightly.

"I'm glad." Jaehee said nodding. Jumin turned around, but I might have saw a small smile on his face. I would stay strong. For them.

A half an hour later

* * *

Kao's P.O.V

"Who gets to choose where to go first?" I asked. We were seated in the middle of the plane with a map of Busan in the middle, several small red markers were placed in specific sections of the map.

"I call dibs." Seven said grinning.

"I'd like to go first." Zen responded.

"No! I do!" Yoosung pleaded.

"I wouldn't mind going first either." Jaehee added, excited.

"Kids, kids, calm down." Jumin said, it was strange how he could sit on the ground and still look graceful. He threw a die on the map.

"Don't call me a kid." Zen warned. Jumin ignored him.

"Yoosung your 1, Jaehee 2, Zen 3, I'm 4, Kao 5, and Seven is 6."

"Wow, Jumin, guess you had all of this planned out." I admitted, impressed. Jumin nodded and continued speaking.

"Yoosung, you go first, we'll roll in order." Jumin said calmly. Yoosung smiled brightly and took the die, shaking it in his hands and releasing it. We all leaned in (even Jumin) and observed the number. The number two stared at us.

"I go first!" Jaehee exclaimed happily. Yoosung pouted. Jumin handed her a panphlet which she spread out. It was a list of several different tourist attractions. "I get to choose?" She asked to clarify.

"Yes, whatever one you'd like." Jumin said. Jaehee was almost ecstatic, it seemed like opportunities like this rarely came up for her.

"How about...Beomeosa?" She asked.

"The old temple?" Seven asked, intrigued.

"Yes, I'm surprised you know of it." Jaehee said. Seven scratched his head and laughed.

"Lucky guess."

"A temple?" Yoosung asked.

"Beomeosa is the head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism located on the edge of Mt. Geumjeongsan." Jumin said, as if he was impressed by his own extensive knowledge. "Good choice Assistant Kang, it's very beautiful there."

"Have you been there Jumin?" I asked curiously.

"No." He admitted . "But I have heard of it's beauty." He stood up. "Get back to your seats, we'll be landing in a few minutes." He ordered. Buzzing with excitement, everyone hurriedly sat in their seats and buckled themselves in.

* * *

By the time we arrived at the airport and got in another limo (transferring our luggage), it was already 8 in the morning. Almost all of the members (including myself) had slept during the remaining plane ride and car trip, so we were well rested and currently a few minutes away from the temple. There were several roads leading to the area and it was a tuesday, so the traffic wasn't a big problem.

I looked out of the window as we drove up the sloping road around Mt. Geumjeongsan. Viridescent trees flew by in blurs, acting as a cover over the large mountain. Small rays of light could be seen peeking through the leaves, leaving little spotlights on the road, sticking out against the shaded background. Small birds chirped innocently, making a jovial melody that surrounded the forest with a calm aura. I could see glimpses of squirrels scurrying by occasionally, and small rivers and streams that trickled quietly, running through the wildlife and little trees. Calmly, I scrolled down my window and breathed in the fresh air. I had forgotten what it had felt like. The fresh wind on my face, the verdant trees, I was so used to the polluted air of the city, and air conditioning of the office that I never stopped to remember this.

I looked back into the limo. Jaehee was on her laptop, Seven had his head out of the window, enjoying the wind (almost like a dog), I could see his vibrant crimson hair flowing from the breeze. Yoosung was still sleeping, his head resting on Jaehee's shoulder (she had tried to remove it several times) and Zen was sleeping as well, his head was leaning against the dashboard of the limo. Jumin was up front, on his phone, not appearing to care about the view at all. I peeked my head out and gasped when the forest cleared and I saw the view of the city. We were currently on the road bordering the mountain, and from there we could see Busan and the glistening ocean beyond the city.

"Jaehee, look." I said softly, careful not to wake Zen and Yoosung. Jaehee looked up from her computer in mild surprise and unbuckled her seatbelt, tilting Yoosung's head to the other side. Softly, she made her way to my window, and then her face lit up in stupefaction.

The city was bewitching, with towers of all shapes and sizes reaching up into the sky, they had miniscule lights that lined their sides, blinking on and off like christmas lights. There were glass buildings that curved and spun, and a bridge that stretched over a small body of water. On the other side of the city perched higher up, was a enormous collection of houses spanning over the side, disappearing into a large forest. The sky was tinted a faint mandarin orange that faded into the azure sky, with tufts of pearly white clouds floating in the sky peacefully. The sound of seagulls could be heard strangely enough, as though we were right next to the aquamarine ocean that rippled and crashed in the distance, corusating in the sunlight like it was some sort of fabric.

"Oh my." Jaehee said softly, her glasses reflecting the light. She grabbed her phone and took as many pictures as she could before we were engulfed by the forest again. I smiled to myself. Just that view alone had been perfect.

* * *

A few minutes later we had arrived at the temple and I woke Yoosung and Zen up, hurriedly getting out of the limo and stretching. I looked around eagerly. We were in a parking lot, on a small cliff overlooking the ocean, in front of us was a large pair of steps leading into the temple, or should I say temples. Traditional Korean buildings sat on the raised platform, with colorful red pillars and-

"Stop staring already and keep walking." Jumin said as he walked towards the steps that were crowded with people. In unknown territory, we followed Jumin like puppies.

"It's beautiful." Jaehee said in awe.

"It is." Zen agreed. Seven grinned.

"LET'S GO BITCHES!" He yelled, ignoring the stares of people who passed by. I laughed with the others and we sprinted past a bewildered Jumin into the crowd of people.

It was arranged like a village. Several buildings stood next to one another overlooking the ocean, connected by small bridges. The buildings had grooves in them, fanning out and making spires with golden balls atop them. There were beautiful inscriptions and decorations carved in the wood of the temples. Glowing softly, lanterns hung from the walls and stretched across the walkway, they were strung next to golden buddha statues that sat on short stone pillars, guarding the sanctuaries. Food vendors and stands stood with their backs against the water, throwing an irresistible smell into the air.

"Where did Jumin go?" Seven asked innocently.

"I have no idea." I admitted. Everyone turned around and looked into the crowd, but Jumin was nowhere to be found.

"The big boy can handle himself." Zen said lowering his sunglasses slightly as he winked at a few girls passing by, who giggled.

"Perhaps we shouldn't have run ahead." Jaehee said, pushing up her glasses. We shrugged and continued walking.

Everyone had changed into different clothes. Zen was wearing a fashionable shirt and a pair of jeans that went to his ankles, he currently had sunglasses on at the request of everyone so we wouldn't get swarmed. Seven was wearing spare clothes that Zen lent him, a black polo shirt with a small inscription and shorts and red sneakers. Jaehee was wearing a grey blouse with white pants slightly longer than mine, she was currently wearing sandals and wearing a beige bag. And Yoosung was wearing a light blue T-shirt and a white sweater that was tied around his waist. His shorts were beige and was also wearing sandals.

Yoosung pulled out the map (he wanted to be map keeper) and we stood to the side of the walkway, crowding around it.

"Where to first?" Yoosung asked.  
"I want to go to all the vendors." Seven said licking his lips.

"Me too." I said, my eyes flicking to the food and back at the map. I was starving.

"I would like to go to the garden." Jaehee added.

"I want to go to the main temples! And the gift shop!" Yoosung said excitedly. Zen nodded, saying.

"I want to go to the temples too."

"It would be more efficient to split up." Jaehee observed. She continued. "Yoosung, Zen and I will be together, I ate on the car ride, so I'm not hungry. Kao and Seven can do what they want until we meet up."

"When will we meet up?" Interjected Yoosung, Zen checked his watch.

"It's 9:37 right now." He added.

"How about in half an hour?" Yoosung suggested.

"Isn't that too short?" Seven asked, he wasn't even looking at the map anymore. His golden eyes were locked on the food.

"Hour?" I asked.

"That sounds good to me." Jaehee nodded. "We will be meeting up here at 10:37 then. Also, can someone call Mr. Han?" Everyone stayed silent. "Fine, I'll do it." Jaehee said with a sigh.

"Can we go?" I asked gesturing to the food stands. She nodded. Seven and I glanced at each other.

"Where to first Captain Seven?" I asked with a grin. He smirked.

"I spy an odang stall 2 o' clock."

"I'll race ya." I challenged.

"Deal."

5 minutes later…

* * *

"THIS ODANG IS HEAVEN!" I cried as I ate my fish cake in complete bliss.

"IT'S JUST AS GOOD AS HONEY BUDDHA CHIPS!" Seven said loudly, hands full of food. I stared at him.

"You think so?!"

"Hell yeah." He added.

"It's a tough competition." I challenged. Seven raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? I bet you it's just as good."

"I bet you it's slightly worse." I teased. Seven leaned against the bench we were sitting on and grinned.

"Worse is such a subduing term." He said slyly. I responded.

"I thought it fit. The odang is delicious, but Honey Buddha is on a completely different level." Seven pretended to consider my term heavily, placing his fist under his chin.

"This is a problem, it must be fixed! Unless..." He stared at me. I blinked in surprise.

Why was he- Oh no, no he wasn't.

"No." I stated bluntly.

"What? Why not?!" He asked.

"I'm not giving the cereal to you."

"It wasn't enough bribing me for it and then knocking me out?" Seven asked innocently, throwing his hands up in the air. "Besides, if I had some more Honey Buddha I would remember how much better it is then odang!" I stared at him from the corner of my eyes and winked.

"Maybe when we're closer."

"But we're already best buds!" Seven whined.

"My cereal is food for the gods." I said simply.

"God Seven should be godly enough then." He said with a smirk.

"Not for me. You must prove yourself." I said, standing up in front of him, my free hand on my hip. I waved my half eaten odang in front of his face. "You're only human~" I teased. Seven gasped.

"You fiend."

"I am, yes." I agreed.

"Then I challenge you." Seven said getting up as well. "I'll prove my godly skill to you. And then, you're giving me that cereal." He raised an eyebrow. I stepped closer to him.

"I love a challenge." I said grinning. He smiled, as if he was expecting my answer, glanced at my odang and bit half of it off, walking off with his hands in his pockets. "Wha! SEVEN!" I followed him angrily. "I was eating that!"

"I could tell." He said, swallowing it.

"You better pay me 125 won then, you ate ¼ of my odang."

"Ahh, I ran out of money." Seven lied with a dramatic sigh.

"Bully!" I yelled. Seven grinned. "I only have a bit of money!"

"How about if you win, I'll pay you the rest, plus an extra 50,000 won (around 40$) for winning. And if I win I get that cereal." Now that was intriguing.

"Deal!"

"Oh man, I'm winning this shit."

"As if!"

"It's on!"

Shortly afterwards we stopped in the temples, taking pictures of the statues and temples. And then for the remainder of the hour we walked in the gardens, quizzing each other.

"Main character of One Punk Man?" He asked.

"Saitami." I said swiftly. "So easy. Main villian of Soy Art Online?"

"Pshhh, Kayaban for the first season. Don't insult me. How about...main character in Ferry Tail?"

"Natu." I said simply. "First movie in Lord Of The Rinks?"

"The Fellowship of the Rink." Seven said without hesitating. "First movie in Hairy Porter?

"The Sorceran Stoone." I paused. "We aren't going anywhere with this are we?"

"Nope…" Seven admitted.

"You're too good." We said at the same time, grinning.

"How do you even have the time to be nerdy with all that hacking?" I asked.

"Don't underestimate the best hacker!" Seven said proudly. "But yeah, we're too in sync. I can't quiz you on your knowledge on nerdy things." He said with a dramatic sigh.

"How about, skills then?" I proposed.

"That's unfair, you'd lose." Seven said with a grin.

"Hacking yes, other things no." I said quickly.

"Well, we're fairly the same in speed."

"Yup. " I remembered the race to the odang stand.

"How about...swimming!" Seven asked excitedly.

"Yes! I love swimming! Do you think we'll go to the ocean though?"

"Of course, Busan is known for it's ocean resorts." He said smoothly. "We can't not go the ocean."

"Sweet. And it'll be best out of three." I said.

"Sounds good to me." Seven responded.

"Oh hey, what time is it?"

"Oh." Seven carelessly looked at his watch and froze.

"What's up?"

"It's...11:04" He said slowly. We looked at each other for a brief second, understanding each other, and dashed in the opposite direction.

* * *

"What's taking them so long?" Yoosung asked for the fifth time.

"Stop asking that." Jumin snapped, checking his watch repeatedly.

"It's been over a half an hour now. Are you sure you called them?" Jaehee asked, using her fan that she had just bought.

"Yes." Jumin said, annoyed.

"I'm hot!" Yoosung whined.

"Wait." Zen said. "There they are."

"What the hell are they doing?" Said Jumin said exasperatedly.

"Are they racing each other?" Jaehee asked incredulously. Zen sighed.

"Yup…"

I pushed Seven lightly and he pushed me back as we fought each other through the crowd.

"I'm winning this!" I said, out of breath.

"As if!" Seven gasped. We made it to the others, sitting where we left them and collapsed on the ground. Jumin groaned.

"Tie." I huffed out.

"Fine." Seven agreed. He clutched the ground. "Sweet ground~" He said, kissing it and closing his eyes, laying on his back.

"Ewww, that's gross." Yoosung said.

"What in the world were you doing?" Jaehee asked.

"Racing." I managed to get out.

"Why?" Zen asked.

"Cereal." Seven said.

"Guess they found you Jumin." I said breathlessly.

"Yes, I was found. Get up." Jumin snapped, grabbing Seven's collar and dragging him to the car. I laughed and then shouted when Zen lifted me up, carrying me like a princess.

"Zen put me down!"

"You can't even walk." He said simply.

"Zen does have the strength to do so." Jaehee agreed. "Besides, it certainly doesn't look unenjoyable." I suppose. It wasn't like I could do anything else anyhow. I glanced at Seven who was staring at us emotionlessly. He blinked when he saw me staring and an uneasy grin came over his face. I smiled back.

* * *

On our drive back to the city, Yoosung was showing us all the things he had bought.

"And here is a antique tea set!" Yoosung said proudly, setting it gently on the floor. The limo was pretty expansive, so Jaehee, Seven, Yoosung and I were sitting on the ground, not bothering to buckle in. I stared at the tea set.

"Wow, it's gorgeous. Do you mind if I pick it up?" I asked.

"Go ahead!" I gently picked it up and inspected it. Everything looked like jade, with small inscriptions on the bottom, the handle was a dragon and the side appeared to be scales.

"How much was it?"

"Around 45000 won (40$)." Yoosung said proudly. I raised an eyebrow. If it was all jade it was pretty cheap, but still.

"Isn't that almost all of your money for souvenirs?" I asked.

"That's what I told him." Jaehee said disapprovingly, in the tone a mother would use with her child.

"What?! It's cool!" Yoosung insisted. Seven snickered.

"Yoosung, do you even drink tea?" We all laughed and Yoosung's cheeks turned a light pink.

"W-What?! I'll give it to my mom!" Yoosung snapped. I even heard Zen laugh a little.

"Alright, time to decide the next location. Jumin came up behind us and we cleared the way for him. He threw the map carelessly on Yoosung's tea set.

"Hey!" Yoosung said loudly, grabbing the set and putting it in the bag it came with, pouting.

Jumin ignored him, pulling his die out of his pocket before he tossed it to Jaehee. "Jaehee, you can't be picked again since you just went, so if you get 2 again just reroll." She nodded and waited for Zen to be seated, rolling the die. We watched suspensefully when the side wobbled to the number 3.

"Sweet!" Zen exclaimed.

"Alright, wha-" Jumin began.

"The beach." Zen said without hesitation. Seven and I exchanged grinning glances.

"Told you." He mouthed silently. I rolled my eyes and looked back at the others a smile on my face.

"Let me guess, to show off your six-pack." Jumin said with a sigh, leaning back against a chair.

"What?! No!" Zen said, feigning ignorance. Jaehee seemed to be holding back her squeal fest and Yoosung had been revived.

"Beach?" He said to clarify.

"Beach." Zen said again. "Haeundae Beach to be exact."

"Beach!" Yoosung said loudly, getting up abruptly and banging his head on the top of the limo. "Owwww!" He cried. The limo burst into laughter. "Not funny!"

"That was actually hilarious!" Seven said.

"Poor Yoosung." Zen said with a laugh.

"HEY!"

* * *

We stopped near the beach resort to get lunch (Jumin wanted to save the center of the city as a surprise). We ate at a small fast food place, Jumin had gone into to a high class restaurant and had convinced them to give him take out. While the others and I had eaten pizza he ate "high class" food with his fork and knife. You can imagine the picture…Afterwards we were dropped off at the beach. Jumin had secured a small portion of the beach beforehand, figuring that we might choose it as one of our options. We could see the crowds of people down the shore near the hotels.

"COME ON!" Zen yelled as he grabbed a surfboard running across the sand.

"I didn't know Zen could surf." I said surprised, Jumin, Jaehee, Yoosung, and Seven and I stood under an umbrella.

"What can't he do?" Jaehee said with a soft sigh. I laughed.

"Seven, ready?" I asked. His golden eyes met mine and no words were needed. "Let's go." I took off my sweater and ran towards the cerulean water crashing onto the sand. I could hear him following me.

"Me too!" Yoosung yelled chasing us with his hands in the air. Jaehee looked at Jumin.

"Are you going to swim Mr. Han?" Jumin looked at her in response.

"Very well." She said immediately, walking towards the waves. Jumin sighed and layed on the sand, watching the others silently. A small smile was on his face as he grabbed a hat and put it over his face, closing his eyes.

I ran on the hot sand, my feet pressing on the scorching grains as I sprinted to the immense ocean spanning out for as far as I could see. My feet splashed the water and I waded further in.

The water felt like heaven. The cool embrace of it's temperature against my sweaty skin was like dumping a bucket of frigid water on myself in 100 degree weather and it sucked my breath away. I had always loved the feeling of it, like silk, but even smoother. I had always loved the feeling of my fingers tracing ripples in the water, creating pictures in the surface and watching them grow until they faded away. Taking a deep breath I dove under the surface, almost letting out all of my air as I enjoyed the feel of it against my skin. Slowly, I floated under the surface, opening my eyes and turning so I could see the sky. Rays of light fell on my face, waving back and forth from the waves. I could see bubbles rising from my mouth and the warped sky. Then and there I realized how much I had needed this.

Shortly after, Seven and I had a contest on who could swim the fastest (with Yoosung being the announcer), and though it was close, Seven had won by a couple of seconds. I wasn't too worried though, I had faith in the other two tests we would hold. Afterwards, everyone but Jumin played water polo (a net had been placed there before we had arrived) for around an hour, then we walked to the public beaches to get drinks and walked back. Currently, most of us were lying on the sand under umbrellas. Only Yoosung and Zen were still out swimming. Seven had his back turned away from me, sleeping, and Jaehee was reading a book. I slurped my smoothie loudly as I stared at Jumin who hadn't moved an inch since we had got here. Jaehee caught my gaze.

"Mr. Han rarely swims." She said.

"It just doesn't feel right when everyone is enjoying the water but Jumin." I said sadly. Jaehee sighed and closed her book gently.

"I agree." We shared a glance. "Wait, you're not proposing-"

"Yup." I said. Jaehee pushed her glasses up and made an uneasy face.

"I'm not sure Kao, Mr. Han despises things like that."

"Don't you think he should go into the water at least once?" I pleaded. "Besides, he's dressed for it." We looked at Jumin and back at each other. A small smile appeared on Jaehee's face.

"I suppose. It would be fun to watch wouldn't it?." She said excitedly. I grinned.

We called everyone over quietly and discussed our game plan.

"Do you think he'll wake up right away?" Yoosung asked, bursting with excitement.

"It depends on how we carry him." Zen whispered. Seven laughed and added.

"I say just go for it and throw him in."

"We have to make sure we go deep enough." Jaehee said to clarify. I nodded and whispered.

"Ok, Zen and and Jaehee will take his legs, Seven and I will take his arms." We all stared at Yoosung who blinked.

"I can take his back?" He offered. We nodded, giving each other high fives.

"Let's do this." Zen said with an evil grin. Quietly, we gathered around Jumin, Zen held up his fingers. Three, two, one. We simultaneously grabbed Jumin who yelled and ran to the beach.

"He's heavy!" Yoosung grunted.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Jumin yelled, furious as he struggled.

"I'm terribly sorry Mr. Han." Jaehee said as we ran into the ocean, throwing him as hard as we could.

"You get what you deserve you prick." Zen said with a grin as Jumin fall in the water with a satisfying splash, drenching all of us. We yelled, giving each other high fives and jumping in the air.

"Mission successful!" Yoosung yelled jovially.

"I've wanted to do that for so long!" Jaehee said excitedly, everyone laughed.

Slowly, Jumin rose out of the water. His damp black hair was falling over his eyes, he pushed it back, staring at us. The laughter stopped abruptly. His obsidian eyes were narrowed in fury and vexation and he snarled.

"Ahh shit." Seven said. Yoosung whimpered and yelled.

"RUN!" We all followed him like injured puppies, sprinting for our lives across the beach while Jumin ran behind us cursing.

* * *

"I CANNOT believe you did that to me." Jumin snapped, as we got into the limo. "How dare you!"

"I'm sorry, couldn't resist." I said with a laugh.

"And you!" Jumin continued, looking at me. " I thought you would be different than Seven and Zen, but it appears you're going down the same path." He said angrily. Everyone but him snickered. Jumin pushed his hair back and folded his arms, looking out of the window.

"He's pouting~" Zen said, he was enjoying this.

"Shut up." Jumin said without looking at him, absolutely livid.

"We just wanted you to enjoy the water." Seven said with a sigh. "You're so mean Jumin."

"I won't even start with you." Said Jumin. "I don't think I'll ever stop." Seven gaped.

"You're no fun~"

"You have to admit, the water was nice today." Jaehee said with a smile.

"It was cold." Jumin complained.

"It was a fun experience for everyone!" Said Yoosung happily, but a brief look from Jumin shut him up.

"Sir? What's our next destination?" A voice came from up front.

"Oh, right." Jumin said slowly, he threw the map and die at Seven and continued looking out the window on his seat while everyone else sat. "I'm glad Elizabeth The 3rd isn't here or else she might have been thrown too." He said, shivering.

Seven pulled the map from his head easily and folded it out, tossing the die it to Zen without looking. Zen caught it with his right hand and rolled it onto the map. We all leaned in eagerly.

"A one!" Yoosung shouted. "My turn!" He snatched the pamphlet from Jumin and spread it out. "Let's see. How about, the aquarium!"

"Oh, the aquarium?" Jaehee said, her interest peaked.

"How exciting!" Seven said cutely. Zen checked his watch.

"It's currently almost 3:30, so we would only be there for around two hours or so, and then I presume we would eat dinner."

"That's fine!" Yoosung said. "I've never been to an aquarium!"

"Neither have I." Jaehee admitted.

"It's the Sea Life Busan aquarium to be exact." Jumin said as he muttered the destination to the driver, the limo started moving and we all prepared ourselves for the next attraction.

* * *

"Ugh, the traffic is just as bad as Seoul." Zen complained, stretching. "It's already 4:12"

"It'll be even busier inside." Responded Jumin, pulling the cuffs of his sleeves down (we had all changed) and walking towards the entrance. "Stay close."

"We should make a buddy line and hold hands!" Seven suggested. I snickered, what an image that would be. Jaehee shook her head and Yoosung laughed.

I was starting to get hot again, the heat in Korea was just plain uncomfortable. Not hot, bright, blistering rays shining on your face no. It was a muggy, musty aura that surrounded everyone with thirst, sweat, and the need to dump a bucket of water on their heads (which was why beaches were a thing). I wiped my forehead and followed Jaehee, Yoosung, Seven and the others to the entrance.

As I walked in, I breathed a sigh of pleasure as cold air blasted my face, flowing through my braid and brushing my skin.

"Thank god for air conditioning." Zen muttered, taking his sunglasses off. The lights were heavily dimmed, with small blue spotlights on the floor acting as beacons, they illuminated walls and cast a cool glow on everything, no one could see Zen's face clearly, so it would be fine. A small gift shop was seen further upwards. I joined the others in line for tickets and waited excitedly, already I could see tanks of colorful fish flourishing in the water.

"Have you been to an aquarium before?" Jaehee asked. I could barely hear her over the talking of the adults and occasional screams made by the children.

"What?" I questioned.

"Have you been to an aquarium before?" Jaehee repeated.

"Yes. But not this one." I said loudly in her ear, she nodded and looked forward.

Jumin payed for the tickets, we thanked him (though he ignored us) and wandered into the aquarium. Tanks of fish illuminated by neon lights sat on the floor in all shapes and sizes. Some made up the walls, others sat in the middle of the room acting as a pillar. I narrowly dodged a kid running past me and crashed into another person.

"Sorry." I muttered.

"It's busy in here." Zen said, having difficulty with maneuvering through the crowds of people. Because we lived in Seoul and never really went to the tourist attractions, we weren't used to it. It was probably the worst for Jumin, who was currently using Seven as his shield from the swarms of people.

"I couldn't exactly secure one of the most popular attractions in Busan for us." Jumin said with a sigh of disappointment. "It's too bad."

The crowd only increased and I found myself and the members getting more and more separated. I saw Jaehee's bobbing brown hair and tried to reach her but only got shut down by the surrounding adults and children.

"Jaehee!" I yelled. It was useless, almost immediately drowned out by the noise. "Shit." I muttered to myself. When I finally got out of the huge crowd near the entrance, the others were nowhere to be found. "No, no, no." I muttered. Why was this happening? I reached for my phone and realized with a jolt that I had left it in the limo which was currently locked. Didn't this only happen in movies and stories? I spun in circles my eyes searching the unfamiliar faces frantically. Nothing. What the hell was I supposed to do? Look at the fish myself? Wait at the entrance? Run around and look for them? I ask the person at the desk? "Kao Eun's family, please report to the front desk." No, that was beyond embarrassing. Stay calm. I told myself. You can't be separated from them forever, you have to find them eventually.

At least, that's what I told myself.

* * *

"What show should we watch?" Zen asked as he stared at the two posters on the wall. "Dolphins or Sharks?"

"Dolphins!" Yoosung said eagerly.

"Sharks!" Seven countered with a grin.

"Can't we watch both?" Jaehee asked.

"No, they're at the same time." Jumin said as he observed the two. "I don't care to be honest."

"Why don't we let Kao decide?" Seven said, turning behind him. "Huh? Where'd she go?"

"She's not behind us?" Zen asked as he looked over his shoulder. Jaehee turned around to search the crowd.

"That's impossible, I was just talking to her."

"Nope, she's not there." Seven said, frowning.

"She must have been separated in the crowd." Jumin answered as he looked around. "Check your phones." Everyone obliged but no messages had been sent.

"Crap." Yoosung said worriedly. "Did her phone run out of battery?"

"Perhaps she forgot her phone somewhere." Jaehee said, her eyebrows scrunched together.

"I'll look for her." Zen suggested.

"I will too." Seven said.

"Shouldn't we ask the front desk?" Yoosung asked. Everyone stayed silent, they knew Kao well.

"I don't think she would appreciate that." Said Jaehee quietly.

"Yeah…your right." Yoosung said, scratching his head.

"The front desk will be a last resort, for now we should split up. Everyone has their phones, correct?" Jumin asked.

"Got it."

"Yeah."  
"Yes."

"Locked and loaded."

"Seven."

"Sorry, got it."

"And I have mine. Meet back up here when you find her. If you don't find her, meet here in an hour and we can call the front desk." Jumin ordered. Everyone nodded and split up.

* * *

I groaned, sitting on a bench and letting my head hit the wall behind me. My legs were sore and my feet were cramped due to running around the entire aquarium for the last twenty minutes. I watched the crowds of people walk by, admiring the tanks of fish. I saw parents and their children, and some kids in middle school taking pictures. I saw an occasional pair of teenagers on dates, and groups of parents and their children on tours. With a sigh, I closed my eyes.

When I was away from the others I realized just how lonely I was without them. No Jumin, no Zen, Jaehee, Yoosung and Seven. I was empty without them, I felt like a weight had been dropped on my heart, like I had been dumped back into a pool of black frigid water, of which I had been out of for the last few days, enjoying the sunlight. It was strange that I was so close with these people whom I had known for the last three days, rather than my colleagues who I had spent a year with. I was so stupid, reacting like this when I had only been separated from them for twenty minutes. I wondered why, why were they so special?

"Kao!"

Why did I hate being apart from them?

"Kao! Over here!"

...Why hadn't I met them sooner?

"KAO!" I blinked and opened my eyes. Had someone said my name? I turned, my eyes widening when I saw red hair. Seven…?

He emerged from the crowd, panting, taking my face in. I looked at him. "Where have you been?!" He asked. "Everyone's been looking for you!" I took in his familiar face.

"...Seven?" I asked bewildered. Seven nodded.

"Come on. Let's get back to the others." He said quickly, grabbing his phone to text something (I assumed to Jumin) and then gestured me to follow him.

I nodded and began to walk after him when suddenly. Poof. The lights on the ceiling flickered and died. There was silence and then screaming, I felt someone shove me in the darkness and I hit the wall hard, my shoulder crying in pain. The only light was the small neon lights on the tanks, illuminating the floor ever so slightly. It cast shadows of running adults and children alike as they scrambled for each other and fumbled down the hallway. I stayed put.

"Seven…?" I asked quietly when the noise of panic grew far away. Had he left me? I heard moving and then.

"I'm here." Relief flooded me and I nodded, even though I knew no one could see it.

"Does your phone work?" I asked, my heart pounding in my ears. A vibrant light blinked on acting as a beacon in the darkness. I could see Seven's silhouette, his hair hanging over his eyes. He looked up and I glanced away.

"No signal." He said calmly. I took a deep breath, well wasn't that just fantastic. I stood up shakily holding the wall behind me as balance.

"We have to find the others." I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I could tell Seven was looking at me, from how his head was angled.

"Are you scared?" He asked softly. His tone shocked me, I had never heard it before. It suddenly occurred to me that I probably didn't know Seven well at all, as sometimes it seemed like he had half of himself that he hid from view.

"No, don't be silly." I said defensively. "The lights just went off that's all." Seven nodded and stood up easily.

"Come on." He said walking forward carefully, using his phone as a flashlight, he looked at me and held out his hand. I could see his golden eyes glimmering in the darkness. _Stop looking at him_. I told myself. I hesitated, and took it and he led me through the unknown.

* * *

Jaehee P.O.V

"JUMIN WHAT THE HELL?!" Zen yelled as he watched Jumin carelessly shut down the power to the aquarium. The lights in the room flickered and died, with the only light source being the open door that lead outside. Muffled screams could be heard from around the room, Jumin didn't seem to notice. The electrician stood by, irritated, but he couldn't do anything about it.

"What did you do that for?" Yoosung asked. "Seven and Kao are still out there!"

"Exactly." Jumin said, giving the electrician 50,000 won (around 42 $) as a condolence gift. "Don't worry, I'll take care of this." He told him. The electrician nodded timidly and scampered out the back door.

"Why did you do that?" Zen yelled again.

"You're all so dense." Jumin said calmly as he turned around to face the others and myself.

"I don't understand Mr. Han." I said, trying to keep my temper under control, nevertheless, a clear tone of irritation cut through like glass on butter.

"I know you don't." Jumin said. "Not yet. Just trust me for now. Seven has met up with Kao, they'll be fine. They're meeting us at the entrance."

"How do you know?" Yoosung asked worriedly.

"He just texted me." Jumin answered calmly.

"Why did you turn the power off?" I demanded, I was worried for them. What if they got lost? The aquarium was huge, how could Jumin do such a careless thing and then not care at all?!

"You'll find out one day I suppose. For now, let's just say it was bad luck." Jumin said, walking out the back door with his hands in his pockets. Zen, Yoosung, and I stared at each other bewildered.

"Does he mean keep it a secret?" Yoosung asked, his eyes scrunched up in worry.

"Stupid little punk." Zen snapped angrily.

"Should we go after them?" I asked hurriedly. What if they got injured? Jumin turning off the power meant that the whole aquarium had most likely been engulfed in darkness.

"Don't go after them. Come out here." Jumin ordered impatiently. I cast glances at the other two and slowly, we followed Jumin.

"I don't understand, did you plan for Kao to be lost?" Yoosung asked, looking at the building.

"No." Jumin admitted. "It just turned out that way. Don't worry, they'll be fine."

"I'm worried." I snapped. Jumin ignored me which was fine, It wasn't like I expected him to reply.

"When they get back, say it was bad luck." Jumin ordered eyeing us individually.

"Why?" Zen yelled, he was furious. I grabbed his shoulder in an effort to calm him.

"Because they won't understand why I turned off the power either." Jumin replied. We stayed silent.

"They better be okay." Said Zen, pacing.

"They will be. Believe me."

* * *

Kao P.O.V

We stared at the map in silence as it was illuminated by his phone.

"Where the hell are we?" I asked. It didn't say our current place at all.

"Damn it, I hate maps that do this." Seven snapped, continuing forward. I could see fine enough and I didn't need his hand. But I didn't release his, and he didn't release mine. "Look." Seven whispered. I looked ahead and my eyes widened.

A small tunnel had been carved out into a tank, with a faint blue light that surrounded it. Seven walked towards it, turning off his phone, and I followed him. As soon as we stepped into it, I felt like we were in a different world.

The water cast a iridescent pattern on the ground that shifted and moved with the azure light making me feel like I was at the bottom of the ocean. All sides were covered by glass and water, and behind it schools of mackerel swam by, unaware of the chaos that had just taken place. A majestic shark tranquilly swam by without a care. A swordfish disappeared into a small ship wreck that sat half buried in the sand. Coral of every color decorated the rocks like sequins on a dress. Striped angelfish and surgeonfish formed a moving rainbow. A collection of yellow fish were wafting through the water, slowly doing flips and turns, almost like a moving yellow ribbon. Pastel shells were buried next to verdant seaweed that danced melodically in the waves, casting patterns on the sand. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I slowly walked towards the curved glass and put my free hand against it. A swarm of fish languidly moved away from my touch, glimmering a brilliant silver. I glanced at Seven and blinked. His expression was completely unguarded, his golden eyes were wide, his lips were parted, I looked away quickly. His hand tightened on mine and I bit my lip nervously.

"Sorry." He muttered, hesitating briefly before his hand slipped out of mine.

"It's fine." I said as calmly as I could. But a flicker of disappointment brushed me.

"We should move on." Seven said quietly, walking down the tunnel. I followed him, staring at his free hand and then looking away.

It became lighter due to the increase of fish tanks and we wandered in the mild darkness, staring at the fish, taking our time. Because of all the chaos before, I had never stopped to look at the aquarium and I had the feeling it was the same story for Seven as well. And the truth was that it was so much more beautiful in the dark and noiseless environment than it ever would have been. Seven and I exchanged a few soft words, but neither of us wanted to ruin the moment, so we primarily stayed silent; mesmerized by the illuminated tanks of fish, eels, jellyfish and starfish. When it began to get dark again he turned on his phone and I felt his hand softly slip into mine.

I didn't want it to end, but eventually it did, and when we saw light, Seven turned his phone off and let go of my hand, running towards the entrance while waving to the others. I let my hand fall limply to my side and watched him go, a strange emptiness filling my heart as his warmth left my fingers.

"Kao?!" I looked up and saw Yoosung running to me.

"Yoosung!" I cried happily as we embraced in hug. Jaehee joined in and Zen did as well. "I'm so happy to see all of you!"

"I'm so glad to see your safe Kao." Jaehee said as everyone released me.

"We were so worried!" Zen said quickly. I smiled brightly and looked at Seven who talking with Jumin. "Want to tell them the story?" I asked. Seven blinked and grinned.

"Of course!~ So, I was struggling through the crowd, at my last dying breath! People were clawing at me, blood was running down my cheek. But I had to save Kao! I saw her at the end of the hall, her hand reaching for mine- " I joined Seven and the others and listened to his 'story', snickering.

Jumin watched them go, a small smile on his face. "So dense." He said smoothly as he put his hands in his pockets, walking after the group, shaking his head.

* * *

Godddd it's done! So long! The first half of the trip has passed! Next chapter the gang checks into the fancy hotel and the night activities begin! It's time for Jumin, Kao, and Seven to chose where they want to go next!

(...Jumin I see what u did there =~=)


	4. The Busan Trip (Part 2)

Chapter 4- The Busan Trip (Part 2) *Disclaimer: The events in this chapter should NOT be attempted, and probably wouldn't be possible...but bear with me. It's a FanFiction! (Emphasis on fiction -) And just to clarify, not everything in this FanFiction will be 100% correct, although I try to stay faithful to the characters. Just wanna say that*

* * *

The more I thought about what happened in the aquarium, the quieter I became. During that time, it was Jumin's number that was rolled, and he decided where to go next. He decided to go to the Modern Art Museum of Busan before dinner (it was only 5). We walked through the halls of the museum, and I spent most of the time silently replaying what happened in the aquarium in my head. Currently, the members were split up. Yoosung, Zen, and Seven had gone to the gift shop and cafeteria. Jumin had gone looking for all the art that was cat related, and Jaehee and I were walking around the sculpture garden in silence.

I had been avoiding Seven, I had a feeling he could sense it as well, and seemed bothered by it, but he didn't talk to me. I didn't understand why, but whenever I looked at him a strange feeling stabbed my heart. Did I...like him? I didn't know, Seven didn't seem to be interested in me romantically, to him, I was just a friend. 'What do you think Seven? Would you date Kao if you had the chance?' His answer to that question bothered me. He wouldn't. I didn't know if I had feelings for him or not, but I needed to get rid of them. Or, perhaps I didn't like him at all? Perhaps I just wanted him to be a close friend? God. I didn't know. I groaned, massaging my head. It was too hard to think about it.

Jaehee was looking at me out of the corner of her eye.

"Kao? Are you alright? Ever since the aquarium you've been silent."

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, just tired." I replied reflexively. Jaehee seemed unsatisfied, but nodded. Should I talk to her? There was something about Jaehee that made me want to tell her everything, maybe she could help? I bit my lip.

"You can tell me anything." She said. I sighed and sat on a bench, she sat next to me and tilted her head.

"It's Seven." I admitted, squeezing my eyes shut. "Seven?" I heard her say. "Yeah." I said again, looking at her.

"What about him?"

"I don't know-" I paused "I just feel weird around him." I looked at my hands and interlocked them tightly.

"Can you explain your feelings?" She asked patiently. I nodded timidly.

"I always want to talk to him, and I feel strange when I'm around him. But I've only known him for three days, I'm just confused. God." I cringed. "When did I become so cheesy?" Jaehee smiled.

"Sounds to me like you like him."

"As a friend?" I asked quickly. Jaehee was silent.

"More romantically." She said finally. I groaned.

"I don't want to like him romantically!"

"Why not? I think you two fit each other."

"We just like to joke around, he doesn't like me like that." I said bitterly. "And, there's something about Seven that makes him hard to approach romantically." Jaehee nodded.

"I agree, Seven jokes around so much that it's hard to tell when he's being serious."

"Exactly. Do you think I should try to stop my feelings? If they're romantic."

"No." She said thoughtfully.

"Why not?" I asked. Wasn't it the right thing to do? What if I was bothering him?

"I don't think you should get rid of your feelings if you don't completely know how Seven feels about you. Hide them, maybe, but you never know what will happen, so don't block them out. Besides, they might just be deep feelings of friendship." She said. I sighed. "How am I supposed to act around him now?"

"Just act as you normally do." She responded. I leaned back on the bench. Act as I normally do? I bit my lip and closed my eyes.

"As I normally do." I said under my breath.

"Kao." I opened my eyes and saw Seven grinning at me. I held back a screech and cursed god internally, forcing a smile.

"Oh, Seven, what's up?"

"I bought this." In his hand was a bronze miniature kitten, it's eyes were a kind of blue stone and it's paw was held out playfully. My mind went blank.

"SO CUTE!" I cooed.

"I know!" Seven said proudly. "Her name is Elizabeth the 4th! Jumin will be jealous meow~!"

"I'm jealous too meow~!" I responded. "Where'd you find her? I want her!"

"At the gift shop! They sold out, but I can show you the place!"

"Hell yes!" I said energetically as I stood up, running after him. Jaehee sat on the bench awkwardly as she watched the two run off. "Yes, normal, just like that." She said.

* * *

After that I felt a stronger bond of friendship with Jaehee. I did my best to talk normally to Seven. Sometimes it came naturally to me, and other times I had to act, but after an hour of talking with him I had a feeling that Seven dismissed my previous state as a bad mood swing and continued to act as he usually did. So I tried to as well and eventually, hiding my feelings became less difficult.

We went on a tour of the museum before we left. Jumin had tried to barter for an authentic art piece of a white cat that looked like Elizabeth the 3rd but he had failed. The owners of the museum said that it was theirs and Jumin spent the next half an hour talking dejectedly, which put everyone in a foul mood. However, once we left everyone's excitement was instantly shot up when Jumin announced that we would be checking into the hotel and then eating dinner.

* * *

"We're here." Jumin said, opening the door and stepping out. I excitedly got out and stared at the hotel, my head towards the sky, mouth slightly open. The hotel was massive. And I mean **massive**. It spanned several glass buildings that towered into the sky. It was literally right near the ocean. Behind us, in front of the parking lot, were docks that spanned across the harbor and overlooked the ocean. A small walkway led out further into the ocean with a small viewing port. A bridge could be seen connecting to the other part of the city. You could see each individual room as an intricate rectangle carved out in the glass. I gaped at it. This was one single hotel? "It's...huge." I said lamely.

I looked at the others. Yoosung looked like he was about to faint and the others were impressed as well. Jaehee had a small smile on her face.

"Welcome to Park Hyatt Busan." Jumin said as he walked forward. "It's a five star hotel, rated number one in Busan and where we will be staying for the night." He turned to look at us. "If you think the outside is impressive than you're in for a huge shock." Chauffeurs grabbed our luggage and we followed Jumin, looking around. He led us to the front doors and bursting with excitement, we walked through them.

The inside was even more spectacular. The marble walls and tiles were glossy, and reflected the modern lights that hung on the walls and ceilings. Several potted plants sat next to plush white chairs that were begging to be sat in. The middle of the lobby was a large pond of some sorts, a large glass statue raised up above our current floor, decorated with changing lights. A cafe was near the pond with small chairs and tables overlooking the water that emanated the smell of coffee and freshly baked desserts. Several glass elevators sat in the back and from our spot we could see floors spanning until they reached the very top, and by then they were so small I couldn't see them clearly. From the main lobby branched off several transparent hallways labeled pool, hot tubs, bar, fitness room, spa, dining room, arcade, and so on so forth.

"Now this is a hotel!" Whistled Seven as he walked to the pond in the middle of the room.

"What is this? Heaven?" Yoosung whispered, following Seven as he stared at the glass statue in the middle of the lobby.

"No, a five star hotel." Jumin replied. He walked over to the counters with Jaehee to check us in.

"So heaven." I clarified as I leaned over the glass railing that overlooked the pond. I closed my eyes, inhaling the delicious smell of coffee, though I wasn't a fan of it, it still smelt good.

"So, who wants to go swimming in the pool?" Seven asked excitedly.

"We just went to the beach." Zen exclaimed, as he took in the hotel. "Personally, I want a back massage."

"That sounds nice too, but a pool is completely different from a beach." Seven justified. "And they'll have hot tubs! In the rooms even!" "And balconies!" I added.

"And a kitchen!" Seven squealed.

"A rooftop garden!" I said with a gasp.

"And an arcade room!" Yoosung said, delighted.

"And a cafe!" Seven said, glancing at the one across the room.

"What about a theatre?" Zen asked, curiously.

"You never know~" Seven said, winking.

"-With a five star hotel!" I finished with a laugh.

"How interesting." Jumin said as he walked towards us. "This amazed over something like this."

"How could you not be amazed by this?!" Zen snapped.

"I admit it's certainly appealing." Jumin said. "Though I suppose you don't see things like this often."

"Well, if you like the lobby so much, do you want to see the rooms?" Jaehee asked excitedly. "

Yes!" We said simultaneously.

* * *

When we emerged from the glass elevators Seven asked.

"What room is it?!"

"2078 and 2079." Jaehee replied calmly. Yoosung, Zen, Seven and I ran across the floor, trying to find the door number.

"They're like children." Said Jumin disapprovingly.

"Let them enjoy their vacation." Jaehee said happily, thinking of joining them herself. "We rarely get times like these to unwind."

"Found it!" Zen yelled, gesturing to the others.

"Shut up, people are trying to sleep." Jumin lectured. Zen checked his watch.

"It's only 6:04!"

"Some people go to bed early." Jumin responded. Jaehee walked to the doors.

"Ready? Girls are on the right, 2079 and boys are on the other side, 2078." Zen, Yoosung, Seven and I nodded. She unlocked both doors with the two cards she held and squealing, I went inside the right one while the others went on the left.

When I entered the room I whistled, observing it. Two white king sized beds sat in on the side with their backs to the wall. They faced windows that overlooked the ocean and the docks. A bathroom was on the side with a large hot tub and area for showering. Further down was a tiled area where wine glasses hung on a glass display, a kitchen stood under bright lights. Potted plants decorated the doorways and a large TV and a few tables were in the main room. I squeled and ran back out into the hallway crashing into Seven. "SEVEN!" I cried.

"KAO!" He yelled.

"THEY HAVE A HOT TUB!" We cried simultaneously. Seven grinned and dragged me into his room where Yoosung was jumping on the bed singing Hallelujah, and Zen was admiring the view. Jumin was already in the bed, sleeping quietly. I stared at the room, it was practically the same except-

"You have a piano?" I asked. "No fair!"

"You don't have one?!" Seven asked, surprised.

"No!" I walked over to Jumin and said. "What's the meaning of this?" Jumin didn't respond. Seven took the opportunity to jump on the bed and snuggle up to him, and almost immediately Jumin stood up and walked over to me.

"What." He snapped.

"Jumin is mean!" Seven pouted, burying his face in his pillow and pretending to cry.

"Why doesn't our room have a piano?" I demanded.

"You have a TV." He said calmly.

"They have a TV?!" Yoosung asked as he stopped jumping on the bed.

"What? Why do they have a TV?" Zen asked. "That's discrimination!"

"I thought I would change it up a little, the rooms would be boring if they were the same." Jumin said with another yawn, changing beds. Seven tried to jump after him, but I held him back by his collar.

"Why'd you get the piano?" I asked as Seven struggled to get out of my grasp.

"It looks better." Jumin said simply as he threw the blankets over himself.

"Why? Do you play the piano Kao?" Jaehee asked as she came up behind me.

"Yeah!" I said.

"Really?" Zen asked incredulously. "I didn't think you played any instruments." I nodded.

"I don't have enough money to buy one for myself, but I used to play all the time when I was little. So it's mainly muscle memory, but I always play when I get the chance."

"I wanna hear!" Seven said, looking up at me. I stared at him, he looked pretty adorable. His red hair was hanging on his forehead over the frames of his glasses, and his cheeks were slightly red, his golden eyes were looking at me hopefully.

"If you want!" I said happily as I ruffled his hair, cheeks warm.

"I want to hear you play **now**!" Yoosung said excitedly.

"I'll do it later." I promised. "For now, don't we have dinner to eat?" I asked. Slowly, Jumin sat up.

"You are correct, thank you for reminding me."

"She didn't need to remind me, I'm starving." Zen said.

"I am as well." Responded Jaehee. "Same." Seven said. Jumin stood up and gestured towards the door.

"Let's go then."

* * *

We ended up deciding to eat dinner at the hotel, since it was already pretty late, and no one wanted to deal with the heavy traffic. Jumin demanded that we change into a new pair of clothes, due to the dirt and smell of the previous ones. And after changing, we took the elevator up to the second highest floor and walked into the restaurant.

It was a large foyer that had two flights of stairs that led to the top balcony. The floor was wooden, and the wall consisted of window panes that allowed me to catch a glimpse of the ocean and the darkening sky. The light was dim enough that it gave off a atmosphere, but you could see perfectly fine. Balls of silver light slightly brightened the foyer, hanging on white string from the ceiling. In the corners were medium sized birch trees. Small dazzling lights were strung around their branches. They hung over white tables that were surrounded by several blush chairs and contained plates, cutlery, and transparent wine glasses. A faint jazz song played luxuriously in the background. A young man dressed in a well groomed suit and white tie walked up to us gracefully.

"Welcome, how many?"

"Six." Jumin replied. The man nodded.

"Follow me please." We followed him up the stairs and sat in around one of the tables that was free.

"It's so high class." Yoosung whispered, fidgeting.

"I agree." Zen said, taking off his sunglasses due to the dim light, he looked out of the window and whistled softly. "Look at that view." We all turned to peer at the sight. The ocean spanned throughout the whole window, the brightly lit bridge was reflected onto the moving ocean. I could see another part of the city that was connected by the bridge, casting luminous reflections on the shifting waves. Above the ocean was the sky that was becoming dark and cloudless.

"I still can't believe this is real." Yoosung admitted.

"Me too." I responded. "I don't think I've ever been somewhere like this."

"It's beautiful." Seven said with a sigh. "I wish I could live here."

"It wouldn't be as special then." Said Jaehee, snapping pictures of the view with her phone.

We ordered our food and after half an hour the waiter came back with half a trolley full of food. I had ordered grilled steak and some side dishes, Jumin had ordered crab (lots of it), Jaehee had ordered the same thing. Yoosung had the side dishes of bulgogi and japchae (intimidated by the masses of seafood), Zen had gotten shrimp and fettuccine, and Seven had ordered lobster and stir fry. When the trolley wheeled by I almost started to drool. The smell of freshly grilled meat and seafood emanated from the steaming plates, and I swallowed. When the waiter left, Seven, Yoosung, and I started to immediately gobble down our food.

"Stop please, this is a high class restaurant. You're embarrassing me." Jumin snapped.

"Cant-...stop" Yoosung said as he slurped the noodles.

"-Won't stop." Seven finished. As he hurriedly ate the lobster.

"Shut up Jumin, no one is looking." Zen said, eating his fettuccine and sighing in bliss.

"This is amazing." Jumin groaned in pain.

"Let them eat the way they want to eat." Jaehee said.

"It's disgusting." Jumin responded a matter a factly.

"Oh right." I said, trying to bring up a new conversation topic. "Where is Elizabeth the 3rd?"

"I regretfully had to hire a professional cat sitter, as I couldn't give her to my assistant." Jumin said sadly. Jaehee cast him a dirty look. He continued. "Elizabeth the 3rd must be terribly lonely right now. I bet she's meowing for me in that graceful, lovely voice of hers." He whispered.

"Is a cat sitter even a thing?" Yoosung asked softly.

"I have no idea." Zen whispered back.

"Yeah, I was surprised you didn't bring Elly along." Seven added.

"Don't shorten her name." Jumin snapped. "And yes, though I wanted to, she would be too uncomfortable in the heat, and I knew we would be going to several places."

"Thank god, this would have been so unenjoyable if you had brought that furball." Zen muttered. Jumin proceeded to ignore him.

"I'm sure she would have liked the hotel…" He said.

"She could have gone swimming with us!" Seven cooed.

"No! I have allergies you know that!" Zen snapped.

"Preposterous, her fur is much too precious to touch water laced with chlorine." Replied Jumin.

"She would have been very majestic, swimming in the water." I said softly. Jaehee sighed, massaging her forehead.

"I'm surprised that you hired a cat sitter, you usually only give her to Jaehee." Zen muttered.

"Mr. Han gave her to the president of the cat protection society, they are acquaintances. He cat sitters often. Mr. Han was very-" Jaehee paused. "Cautious about giving her to him."

We all glanced at Jumin who didn't seem to notice and looked away. We continued to eat, chatting about the vacation and our lives. My steak was flavorful, juicy, and perfect. It was spectacular compared to the usual market food, and my tongue felt like it was lounging in heaven. I was elated and lost in this moment, in the low voices of the room, the flicker of the candles on our table, the laughs of my friends, the amazing smell of the food, and the darkening view of the ocean. My cheeks glowed, this was the most content that I had been in years. I wanted to freeze this moment, and store it deep in my heart, and always remember it.

Shortly after the dinner we made our way back to the hotel room and got out the map and die.

"It's between Kao and Seven now, everyone else has gone." Jumin clarified, he gave me the die and I rolled it onto the map, hoping for the number 5. The die rolled onto the map and wobbled, landing on my number after a brief pause.

"Sweet!" I said with a grin.

"Where to?" Seven asked excitedly, handing me the pamphlet.

"Oh, I don't need it." I said.

"You don't need it?" Yoosung asked. I shook my head.

"It's not really an attraction."

"What is it then?" Jumin asked.

"Well…" I scratched my head. The others waited excitedly.

"Yes?" Jaehee asked.

"I uh…" Oh boy. I thought to myself. They weren't going to like this.

"What is it?" Yoosung asked energetically.

"I want to go paragliding." I said finally.

"Paragliding…? It's getting dark out." Jumin said disapprovingly.

"But I suppose we can use headlights, fine. Where?"

"Off the rooftop of the hotel." I said nervously. Everyone stared at me blankly.

"What?" Jumin said firmly.

"Is that a thing?" Yoosung asked. Seven snickered.

"Sounds fun to me."

"That sounds dangerous and illegal." Jaehee said softly.

"That sounds terrifying, hell no!" Zen said quickly.

"I just…Busan looks really beautiful and I figured that it would be even prettier if we paraglided off the hotel. I know it's not a thing, but it would be really fun and-" Jumin interrupted me.

"Absolutely not." He said.

"Why not?" Seven whined.

"Because it's dangerous, paragliding off the rooftops of skyscrapers." Jumin scoffed.

"You'd crash into a building if you didn't land in the middle of traffic and get yourself ran over. Not to mention the owner of this hotel wouldn't allow it. I thought you were smarter than that Kao." I looked down in response.

"Dangerous is my middle name!" Seven said.

"That sounds scary." Yoosung said quickly. "Fun, but scary. I've never been paragliding before."

"Me either." Zen added. I wilted a little. I wasn't expecting it to happen, but it would have been fun. Jumin glanced at my face and sighed.

"Kao, if you really wanted to go paragliding off the hotel, I suppose you could do it in the direction of the ocean. I could try to figure something out with the manager."

"The ocean?" I asked. Jumin nodded.

"That makes sense, there's nothing there to hurt you." Jaehee said thoughtfully. "And if you get the landing right, the water should be a nice cushion."

"I could arrange for a yacht to pick us up there." Jumin said. "Though I'm still not a fan of the idea."

"...The ocean..?" Zen asked exasperatedly.

"Would it be safe?" Yoosung asked,

"Safe enough. I wouldn't suggest it if it wasn't." Jumin responded. (-_-;)

"Awesome. I've never been paragliding." Seven whispered.

"I-I'll give it a try." Yoosung stuttered.

"I might pass." Zen said, hesitating.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Paragliding over an ocean…" He laughed.

"I'm not the biggest fan of heights." He said.

"Neither am I." Jaehee said slowly.

"I'm going to pass as well." Jumin added calmly. I stood up.

"Please? Come on, it'll be so much fun when everyone is there." I said. Jaehee, Zen, and Jumin stayed silent. I took a deep breath. "I've...never really done this before, hanging out like this I mean, on a vacation with friends. I've never had very good ones. I've only gone paragliding once, a few years ago. And I loved it, and I just." I sighed.

"I would love to do it again, and with people I enjoy being with." Jaehee looked away, and back at me. I stared at her, pleading silently. After a pause, Jaehee pushed up her glasses and gave a sigh of defeat.

"I suppose I could give it a try." She admitted. I smiled in joy.

"Thank you Jaehee!" I said. She nodded, a small smile on her face. I glanced at Zen who was avoiding my gaze.

"Zen...you'll look even more majestic and handsome when you're flying through the air." I said, raising an eyebrow. Zen glanced at me.

"I know, I just don't like heights."

"I think we should do this with Kao, she has gone along with everything we have said." Said Jaehee. Zen groaned, pushing his white hair back.

"Fine, jeez. I'll do it for Kao." Everyone stared at Jumin who was looking at us blankly.

"Absolutely not." He said again.

"Jumin's scared! Ooo!" Seven said, snickering. Jumin shot him a dirty look.

"I'm not scared, I find no enjoyment in activities like that." He snapped. Zen took the opportunity to make fun of him.

"Sounds like you're scared to me."

"Coming from the one who said he was afraid of heights." Jumin said cooly. Zen frowned.

"I agreed didn't I?" He defended.

"Jumin is scared of heights~" Seven said again.

"Poor Jumin." Yoosung added.

"I'm disappointed Mr. Han." Jaehee sighed, shaking her head.

"Wimp." Zen said, stretching. I glanced at Jumin who seemed to be holding back his anger.

"Coming from the people who threw me into the ocean while I was sleeping, I don't think I have to." He said. "I'll order the paraglides, and set it up with the manager of the hotel. But nothing more." Jumin said as he strolled out.

* * *

The next hour consisted of Jumin getting the paraglides and setting it up with the manager of the hotel (who was not happy at all about it). By the time we had gotten on the rooftop, it was already almost 10 and the sun had set. I turned on my headlight and flinched from the brightness.

"Jumin, we can see the ocean perfectly fine because of the light from the city." I said into my headpiece, turning the headlight off to preserve my eyes. "We don't need these."

"I'm not taking any chances." Jumin said into my ear. He was waiting on the yacht, and was talking to all of us through water proof headpieces. Zen peeked over the corner of the wall (that was waist length) and stepped back immediately.

"I uh." He stuttered. "I don't feel too good." I could hear Jumin snicker, Zen made an annoyed sound. "But I'm still going to **do** it." He snapped into his ear piece. I had a feeling that the only reason he was doing this was to spite Jumin.

"I'm not going first." Yoosung said quickly, he was sitting on the floor, looking terrified.

"Neither am I." Jaehee said.

"Same." Zen stuttered. I glanced at Seven who was staring at the ocean.

"Why don't we go at the same time?" He asked, still looking forward.

"Don't, there'll be a chance of a collision." I heard Jumin respond.

"A few seconds difference then?" Seven asked. There was silence.

"Fine." Jumin said finally.

"There's still the question of who will go first." I added. Seven nodded.

"Do you want to go?" He asked. I hesitated.

The last time I had gone paragliding, it had been on a large hill to the bottom of it, which was still fairly high up. But this time it was on a skyscraper 150 meters tall, overlooking an ocean at 10 o' clock at night. I walked to the wall and looked at the ocean, which was so vast and yet so far away.

"I can go second." I said finally.

"I'll go first then." Seven said. "Zen you'll go 3rd, Jaehee 4th, and Yoosung will be last."

"Why am I the last?" Yoosung whined.

"You're the most likely person to collide with someone." Seven said quickly, turning on his light.

"HEY!" Yoosung yelled. Seven flashed him a grin and looked at us.

"Ready?" He asked. I nodded, and his golden eyes flicked to mine briefly before he jumped off the edge. We all ran to the wall looking down. Seven was yelling in exhilaration, his paraglide was getting smaller by the second as he flew through the air, down to the ocean.

"Oh my god." Yoosung whimpered.

"I can't believe I'm about to do this." I said, my hands were sweating.

Take a deep breath. I told myself. I ignored the plummeting drop below and focused my gaze on the sky. You can do this, this is safe. Probably. Hopefully. No! Good thoughts. Okay, you can do this. I sucked in my breath, took a few steps back, and ran towards the wall, jumping off the edge.

I felt my body fall as gravity grabbed my legs, yanking me downwards. My paraglide aligned itself and I began to fly towards the ocean. Despite myself, I looked down and screamed. I couldn't hear myself, the wind was blasting by my ears, but I knew I was doing it. I could see the ocean waves slowly getting larger.

"HOLY SHIT" I screamed, laughing in exhilaration. I could see Seven doing swerves and flips in the air and I grinned. I heard a ear splitting scream behind me and knew it was Jaehee (it was Zen actually…) as she jumped off the edge. I tilted my paraglide downwards, gasping as the wind blasted my face, getting closer to Seven but staying a safe distance away. He glanced at me and grinned, mouthing something.

"WHAT?!" I yelled.

"First one down wins!" He yelled as loud as he could. I caught most of it and nodded. We both tilted our glides downwards, increasing our speed. I had never felt this exhilarated before, not even during my last time I had gone paragliding. Maybe it was because of the drop, or because I was doing it with people who were precious to me. I was absolutely elated, watching the ocean calmly shimmer from the city lights. It was a beautiful cloudless night, the stars were out, twinkling like beacons against the obsidian sky. This was something that only happened once in a lifetime. And I would make the most of it. Without thinking I yelled.

"SEVEN!".

"WHAT?!" He yelled back.

"I LIKE YOU!" I screamed. Laughing carelessly as I closed my eyes and howled into the wind.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Seven yelled, shaking his head. I laughed and shook my head. I heard the others behind me, and became lost in my happiness, terror, and adrenaline.

* * *

When I slowed my landing and let go of the paraglide, I fell into the ocean. Closing my eyes, I breathed out. The water was fairly warm, and comforting on my skin, contrasting the cold wind. I swam up to the surface and gasped, catching a glance of Seven's crimson hair disappearing into the obsidian waves. I saw a orb of light under the surface from his headlight and then Seven popped out of the water with the gasp.

"I won!" I said, treading the water effortlessly. Seven cried out in pain and pretended to drown.

"DAMN IT!" He yelled after I pulled him up."I was so close!" With a laugh, I was about to respond when I saw Zen as he fell into the water with a splash, drenching Seven and I. He popped out of the surface and gasped.

"I AM NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN! EVER!" Zen said shakily as he looked around for the yacht which was to the left of us. "HOLY SHIT!" He said. I snickered.

"Fun isn't it?"

"Fun...? FUN?! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE!" Zen yelled, looking at me and then swimming towards the yacht hurriedly.

"WATCH OUT BELOW!" I looked up and closed my eyes as Jaehee fell into the water with another splash. Followed by Yoosung, who was screaming. I caught Seven looking at me and we shared a grin.

After we had all boarded the yacht, we sat on the deck, wrapped in towels and talking about our experience. Zen was chatting up a storm, with Jaehee adding bits and pieces here and there. Yoosung had been silent since we had boarded the boat and was taking deep breaths.

"As soon as I jumped off I immediately regretted it." Zen said, shaking his head.

"He tried to swerve backwards, and the top of his paraglide hit the building." Jaehee said, her hands were shaking from the jump. Seven howled with laughter.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY!" Zen hissed. "I saw people in there! And they stared at me like I was some kind of axe murderer!" Everyone excluding Zen started to laugh and he frowned. "I'm serious! Just imagine! A incredibly handsome man banging into your window on a paraglide while you're watching the super bowl!"

"I wouldn't mind that actually…" Jaehee muttered.

"Of course it would have been a lucky experience for them, but still, think how horrible it was for me!" Zen said, flipping his wet hair back with a sigh.

"I don't think it would be lucky at all. Quite terrifying actually" Jumin said as he took a sip of his wine. I could tell he had enjoyed the sight of a screaming, flying Zen.

"And you! You didn't even do it!" Zen said angrily.

"You are correct, thank god." Jumin smiled a little.

"On the contrary Mr. Han, I think you missed out. Although it is terrifying it's also incredibly fun." Jaehee said.

"Jaehee was actually pretty calm." Zen admitted. "I was impressed." Jaehee smiled brightly.

"What did you think Yoosung?" I asked. Yoosung was in the corner, muttering under his breath. He was holding his knees and rocking back and forth. We all crowded around him.

"Yoosung?" Seven asked, waving his hand in front of his face. There was no response.

"Hey Kao, I think you broke him." I pretended to grab a wrench and hammer in his skull.

"Fixed." I said calmly. Seven and I snickered, hi fiving each other. Yoosung groaned and fell off the chair he was sitting on.

"How interesting, he actually fainted." Jumin said, observing the knocked out Yoosung.

"How is that interesting?" Zen snapped. "He could be hurt!"

"Oh...wow." I said worriedly. "Will he be okay?" Seven bent down next to him.

"Yeah, he's just in shock." We all stared at Yoosung as he lay limply on the deck.

"Poor Yoosung." Jaehee said finally.

* * *

After Yoosung had recovered and we had changed into a new pair of clothes, we decided the last activity we would do, and the default decision went to Seven who had yet to choose.

"I'm going to regret giving this man a single decision in my life." Jumin said with a sigh. Seven ignored him.

"Defender of justice, Seven Oh Seven, will now choose the next activity!" He said pointing into the air.

"Hurry up." Zen said watching him exasperatedly.

"And it will be...drumroll please!" He said. I was the only one who obliged. The others waited in suspense.

"A test of courage!" Seven said excitedly.

"Huh?" I asked.

"A test of courage?" Jaehee asked. Seven nodded pushing up his glasses.

"What the hell is that?" Zen asked.

"A test to scare each other! Who ever is left standing wins!" Everyone immediately burst into conversation.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Yoosung yelled, standing up. "I JUST WENT PARAGLIDING I'M NOT GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN A FREAKING TEST OF COURAGE!"

"That sounds silly." Jaehee said. Jumin simply shook his head.

"No, just, no."

"A test of courage...huh." Zen said. Personally, I loved a good scare. A test of courage sounded fun, and it would also settle our contest. Seven had won at swimming, I had won at paragliding, we had to decide the final point.

"Sounds good to me." I said.

"See! At least Kao agrees! Come on guys! You dragged me on this trip didn't you?" Seven asked. The others stayed silent. "It's simple. We'll go into our hiding spots and have a few minutes to come up with a plan to scare each other. Then we'll turn the lights off, scare each other, and the last person standing will win!"

"Sounds kind of fun actually." Zen admitted thoughtfully.

"See! Come on Jaehee!" Jaehee pushed up her glasses and responded after a brief hesitation.

"If everyone is participating, I don't see the harm. What will the prize be?" We all instinctively stared at Jumin who had the most money. Jumin ignored our glances, staring at his wine, eyes narrowed.

"I'm not participating!" Yoosung yelled, sitting down with a huff."

"Yoosung, if you participate I'll give you the Crimson Blood Scythe." Seven said.

"YOU HAVE THE CRIMSON BLOOD SCYTHE!?" Yoosung yelled. "THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST RAREST ITEMS IN LOLOL!" Seven nodded and grinned.

"Don't underestimate the prodigy hacker." Yoosung muttered something under his breath and sighed.

"Seven...you're killing me. Fine." Yoosung snapped.

"You have to promise you'll give it to me! And I don't have to win right?!" Seven nodded and promised.

"I find this ridiculous. I refuse to participate." Jumin said finally.

"Jumin, you didn't go paragliding either, isn't this the least you could do?" I asked. Jumin shook his head. Seven grabbed Jumin's arm, and dragged him to the side of the ship where they exchanged whispers. Zen, Jaehee, Yoosung and I stared at them.

"Fine." Jumin said after a few seconds. Seven returned to his seat with a sly grin on his face. ...We never found out what Seven said to him.

Shorty after, Seven gave each of us a rule sheet and a ribbon, and after it was go time, I had waited for the others to leave and then searched for a hiding place. I went below deck on the second floor and crawled under a table in the corner of the room. I tried to come up with ideas to scare the others. Yoosung would be simple, I didn't know about the others though. Was it okay to steakout again? I didn't remember.

Quietly, I got out the rules that Seven had quickly written up, and given all of us, which were as follows.

1) Whoever screams is immediately disqualified. If you fail to scare someone, you have a chance to take their ribbon which will also disqualify them. (It was like capture the flag in that sense)

2)You must hide your ribbon on yourself where it can be easily accessible (again, like capture the flag)

3) You can hide anywhere except the electrical room and upper deck.

4) For the last person standing, there will be a reward.

5) No violence.

6) Jump scares are allowed! (Despite Yoosung's ples not to)

7) Those who are disqualified must move to the upper deck where they must stay.

8) Steakouts are allowed!

9) At 11 the lights will turn off. (Jumin was in charge of quickly moving to the electrical panel to do this since he knew the layout.) Do not turn them back on.

10) Be careful!

11) You can play the pacifist and hide, or play the scarer. It doesn't matter as long as there is one person remaining.

12) Whoever breaks any rules will immediately be disqualified and receive a punishment!

Yup, steakouts were allowed. I folded the sheet and put it in my pocket. Besides, as much as I loved adrenaline, the idea of stalking around in the dark, waiting for someone to scare me wasn't as appealing as I had originally thought. My ribbon was hanging from my back pocket, and I made sure it was safely secured before I checked my watch. It was 10:56, the lights would be turned off in 4 minutes.

I was currently crouched under a table surrounded by one couch to my left and right, and a wall to my back. For the most part, the yacht had been cleared of dangerous things waiting to be tripped over. A few tables were pushed on the outside of the room. The television had been moved to the storage room, and the wine glasses had been cleared from the hanger above the small kitchen.

Overall the yacht was pretty big, and had three floors. The bottom floor was where the bedrooms, bathrooms, and electrical room were, under the water. The floor under the deck, just above water, was where the lounging and eating areas were (I was currently located here). And the top was where the control panel and the upper dock were, overlooking the ocean.

Without warning, the lights shut off and I stiffened in surprise. Darkness embraced me and the yacht became silent. I could hear my heart beating in my ears and wondered if anyone else could hear it, due to how loud it was. My ears strained to hear noises, and faint footsteps could be heard from above deck. The sound of waves crashed against the side of the yacht, a calming noise.

I heard a door open loudly and bit my lip. No one could see me right? I heard the shuffling of feet lightly on carpet and then a mutter.

"Ouch." I couldn't tell who it was from the voice. Half of me wanted to try to pop out, but I didn't want to risk it. Suddenly, I heard a muffled scream coming from the floor below me. I froze. I couldn't tell who it was. The person near me seemed to react as I did, they gasped softly and ran in the opposite direction, I heard their receding footsteps. Slowly, my heartbeat calmed. One down, I thought, five more to go.

In the next ten minutes one more person had been disqualified, which meant four people (including myself) were remaining. I had a strong feeling that Yoosung was down, just because of his personality, and I knew that Seven still had to be up. So who was left? Zen, Jaehee, or Jumin? I bit my lip and decided to abandon the thought.

My hideaway spot was getting cramped, and although no one had discovered me yet, my legs had fallen asleep several minutes ago. My braided damp hair lay uncomfortably on my back and I shivered. I wanted to move, but I was terrified to get up from my spot. The darkness stared at me silently, as if it was taunting me. Suddenly, I heard two sets of footsteps running from both below and above me, and a door slam open.

"Did you find them?" I recognized with a start that it was Seven's voice.

"No." A voice responded, I didn't recognize it, it was a male though.

"They've gotta be around here somewhere. Did you completely search the bottom floor?" It was Seven again.

"How should I know? It's hard enough to see already, the moonlight is the only light I get."

Wait, was that Zen? Had they teamed up!? Damn! I should have thought of that. I bit my lip angrily, it wasn't against the rules. And the fact that it was Seven and Zen made it even worse because I knew they were both fast and fairly athletic. From what they were saying, there was one person besides me who was in hiding, who was it? Jaehee? Jumin? I would have a higher chance of befriending Jaehee then Jumin, that was for sure. And I could safely assume Yoosung was out of the picture.

"I'll search this floor again." Seven said. A bit of me panicked. The one I was currently on?

"Re search the bottom?"

"Alright." Zen said, I heard a pair of footsteps recede and then silence. I knew that Seven was standing there in the darkness. I could almost feel his golden eyes scorching the darkness for me. I put my hand over my mouth, not trusting the volume of my breathing. Softly, footsteps could be heard on the floor, getting louder and louder. What would I do if he found me? I would have to run if I didn't scream, to make sure he didn't grab the ribbon. Don't scream. I said, closing my eyes tightly. The footsteps came closer, and I knew he was in front of me. Faintly, I could see his silhouette due to the moonlight that came from outside. Don't scream I told myself again. I could see him bend down and stare in my direction. Could he see me? The table shadowed my spot, but still. My fingers were sweating, my heart was thundering in my ears, I was frozen to my spot. He hesitated and was about to reach out when-

"SEVEN!" With a start, Seven's hand retreated and he stood up. I let out a soft sigh of relief. "I FOUND HER!" Her? Was Jaehee the one who was also up then? Jaehee! Survive! I cheered her on mentally.

"COMING!" He yelled, I heard him run below deck and then there was silence. I took a deep breath and let my head rest against the wall behind me. This was not good for my heart at all. But I wasn't allowed to have a moment of peace, I heard foot steps running in my general direction, loudly thumping on the floor.

"Zen! Cut her off!" I heard Seven say. No! Jaehee! I cried mentally. Should I help her? What if I got caught too? But I couldn't just abandon her, even if this was just a game! I felt a kinship with Jaehee, a strong friendship. I bit my lip, I wouldn't hide. Teeth clenched, I got up from my spot and ran towards the silhouette who had cut her off, I grabbed their waist and yanked them backwards, making sure not to hurt them. A loud yell came from the person I was restraining.

"GAH GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" I recognized the voice to be Zen's.

"Zen! Your out!" I yelled. He had screamed.

"KAO?!" I heard Seven yell. Jaehee spoke up as well.

"Kao! Is that you?!"

"DAMN IT KAO!" Zen hissed. Seeing her dim silhouette, I grabbed Jaehee's wrist and dragged her below deck.

"Jaehee! Follow me!" I knew that even with the both of us, we didn't stand much of a chance trying to get Seven's ribbon. We needed to find another way.

"Wait- Kao!" "I want to work together" I said, panting as I made sure not to trip on the dimly lit steps. Jaehee was silent for a split second and then she responded.

"Understood!" We ran down a hallway, several rooms lining the walls. Small dim blue lights were illuminating the floor, acting as a replacement for the windows which were gone.

"Kao!~ Come back!" Seven's teasing voice reached my ears, he was chasing us. I cursed under my breath as I rounded a corner. I glanced behind us, and heard his footsteps, he was gaining on us quickly. And as much as I hated to admit it, Jaehee was slowing me down. But I refused to let go, if we were going to lose, we were going to lose together.

"Kao." Jaehee said as she panted.

"Yeah?" I asked, out of breath.

"Thank you." She let go of my hand and I saw her walk towards Seven.

"Jaehee! Your crab dinner! Your prize!" I yelled as I stopped running, facing her.

"It is worth it." She said, I could make out her face as she looked at me. A slight smile was on her lips. "It's up to you now." I bit my lip and nodded, casting a final glance at her before I kept going. Thank you Jaehee. I said to myself. I would repay her for this one day. With all you can eat crab.

I rounded the corner and hid in the mild darkness. I heard footsteps coming towards me, and knew that Seven had taken Jaehee's ribbon. Though, he must have lost me in Jaehee's distraction, because I heard him checking the other bedrooms. I would win this, I wouldn't let her sacrifice be in vain! A small smile was on my lips. How silly was this? Running around, trying to chase each other. But I was having fun, so much fun.

With a grin on my face, I tackled Seven lightly to the ground as he rounded the corner I was in. His golden eyes widened briefly in surprise as his arms reflexively closed around my back. We fell to the ground and I looked for his ribbon while he looked for mine. Where was it? I thought desperately. We rolled against the wall and I spotted his at the same time he spotted mine. I tried to push his arms back and he pushed against mine as well and slowly, I was getting pushed back.

"Damn it." I hissed. I threw all my weight into grabbing his ribbon and Seven narrowly dodged my grab. We were getting nowhere, and hesitating briefly, Seven leaned in and kissed my cheek. I froze, completely, my breath hitched. Taking the opportunity, Seven grabbed my ribbon swiftly and held it up in the air.

"Seven wins! Last person standing!" He cheered, running back towards the stairs without sparing me a glance. The boat was silent, and the darkness stared at me. I blinked. Huh? What had just happened? Had I lost…? Why? How? Why did I freeze? Did he...kiss my cheek? My cheeks flushed and I covered my face. He had done it on purpose! He knew that I would be heavily affected by it! The little- I groaned, and leaned against the wall.

Why hadn't I done that? Then again, I wouldn't have the bravery to do something like that. Seven probably didn't think anything of it, he just did it to win. Right? Or maybe...could I dare to hope?

"What am I hoping for?" I asked myself softly, shaking my head. I slapped my cheeks forcefully. "Snap out of it Kao and get yourself together." I said as I lay on the floor, took a deep breath, and stared at the ceiling. What was I hoping for?

Seven P.O.V

"Damn it." I muttered under my breath. Good job Seven, freaking fantastic. Look what you just did. I sighed and shook my head. What the hell was wrong with me?

Conflicted and annoyed, I slowly made my way above deck, and when I emerged, the others were waiting for me bursting with excitement.

"Who won?! Yoosung asked.

"I did." I said. Jumin was staring at me.

"You don't seem very happy about it." He said finally. I cast a brief glance at him. Get it together. I told myself. You know what to do, so do it. With a bright laugh I responded,

"I am! Sorry! I'm just so shocked! I get to eat Honey Buddha Cereal now because I won!~" The others congratulated me. I heard Kao coming up the steps behind me, and decided to ignore her.

"Hello Kao." Jaehee said, glancing at her.

"Hey." She responded.

"Tell us how you did!" Yoosung said.

"I was the first one who got out so I don't know what happened." I grinned and took him by the shoulder, guiding him to the railing of the deck to talk about what had happened. I felt Kao's eyes linger on me but I ignored them. It was a tactic to win, I told myself, nothing more.

* * *

Kao P.O.V

When we returned to the hotel I flopped on my bed and groaned, covering my head with a pillow.

"Kao?" I heard Jaehee walk up to me and sit across from me. "What's wrong?" She asked. I shook my head.

"Nothing." I muttered.

"It doesn't seem like nothing. Did something happen?" I glanced at her from around my pillow.

"...It's Seven again."

"When? During the paragliding? Or the test of courage?" She asked. I could tell she was genuinely concerned, and it made me slightly happy despite my mood. I began to respond.

"It was during…" I paused. Wait, hadn't I said something during the paragliding? Wasn't it something about...I blinked. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed into my pillow.

"What's wrong!?" She asked, panicking.

"...I told him I liked him." I said into my pillow.

"WHAT?!" She yelled.

"I don't think he heard me...hopefully not."

"When was this?!"

"During the paragliding...I had completely forgot about it."

"How do you just forget about that?" She asked, bewildered. I rolled on the bed and groaned.

"I just...said it without thinking. I was so excited...I don't know."

"Seven didn't seem to be affected." She said.

"He probably didn't hear it...OH MY GOD WHAT **IF** HE HEARD IT?!" I fell off the bed. Jaehee made a sad sound and helped me back up.

"He probably didn't." Jaehee said. "Right?"

"Right." I responded shakily. He didn't hear me right? He said he didn't. He definitely didn't hear it. I began to moan and buried my head in Jaehee's shoulder. She patted my head softly.

"There there, it'll be alright."

"Why am I so stupid…?" I asked.

"Your emotions clouded your judgement is all." She said soothingly.

"Not just clouded...blocked! Barricaded! Damn it! After I made that whole statement about hiding my feelings too." I whined.

"I think we can conclude that you like him more then a friend now?" Jaehee asked. Slowly, I nodded.

"Kill me now." I said. I was so embarrassed, how could I just forget about that?

"I'm not going to kill you." Jaehee responded. "Did anything else happen?"

"...Yes." I said after a brief pause.

"What?" She asked soothingly. I stayed silent.

"He…" I paused. Should I tell her? I had told her this much but...what had happened was different. Still, I couldn't hold these pent up emotions inside me for much longer.

"He kissed my cheek." I said finally. Jaehee stared at me, blinked, and then her eyes widened.

"WHAT?! WHY? WHEN?"

"During the test of courage, after you were disqualified." Jaehee was freaking out.

"I can't...that's...so unlike him! Why? Was it a joke?"

"It was just so he could win." I clarified.

"He knew that I would freeze so he could grab my ribbon. Just a tactic to win. Nothing more, but it was still…"

"Weird." She finished.

"Right." I said. Very weird, but not unpleasant.

"That was mean of him. Especially considering how you feel." She said, calming slightly. I nodded.

"I mean, I froze, like completely." I groaned. Laying back on my bed.

"How could he do that to me? Seven is horrible!"I closed my eyes tightly.

"Kao…" Jaehee said softly.

Someone knocked on the door to our room and we both stared at it, glancing at each other.

"Should I open it?" She asked. Slowly, I sat up and slapped my cheeks.

"Yeah." I mumbled. Jaehee cast me a empathetic glance, and then walked to the entrance, opening the door.

Zen stood leaning against the door frame, he glanced Jaehee and then me.

"Everything okay in here?" He asked. "We heard raised voices."

"Yeah, fine. We were just excited." I responded. "What's up?"

"Yoosung wants to hear you play the piano." He said.

"That's right! I do as well." Jaehee added. I blinked. I had completely forgot about that in all of the excitement. Zen saw my face.

"Do you want to? You don't have to." Zen said. I shook my head.

"No, I would be happy to. Thanks for the reminder, I'll be right there." Zen nodded, and walked into his room, closing his door. Jaehee and I were silent, she closed the door and then faced me.

"Are you sure you can face Seven so soon?" Jaehee asked. I nodded.

"I'll be fine. I'm actually not too bad of an actor." I said with a strained laugh. Jaehee didn't seemed to be convinced. "It's not a big deal seriously. I just tend to overreact." I said. Jaehee sighed.

"All right."

We went to the other room and everyone gathered around the piano to hear me play. I sat on the bench and observed it. It was a beautiful grand piano, obsidian black with gold lining. I could understand why Jumin choose it to be in his room just because of how it looked.

"Don't you need music?" Yoosung inquired.

"I've memorized a few songs." I said. "I don't really need it."

I set my fingers on the keys and as a cue, everyone became silent. I remember my mother teaching me how to play the piano. And as a child I had always loved it. I don't remember what my mother looked like, but I always had one memory of her. A bright summer day, when she had first taught me to play. I remembered the wind chimes in the mild breeze, the sunlight that came through the window. The peace, and the happiness.

Whenever I played the piano I always recalled that memory. Because that was the only happy memory from my childhood. I would get lost in it, and my fingers would play on their own. I would play a song that was laced with happiness, and peace, and sadness at once. And that was what I did now. I closed my eyes and became lost in my memories, I felt my fingers on the keys, I felt my foot moving on the pedal. But I heard and saw nothing. And when I finished and my fingers came off the keys, for a brief moment I saw the silhouette of my mother before I opened my eyes and stared at the piano sadly.

The room was silent, so silent that you could hear a pin drop. Slowly, I turned on the bench to face the others.

"There you go." I said.

"Damn…" Zen said finally. Jumin was staring at me blankly, Yoosung's mouth was open, Jaehee was staring at me in awe, and Seven. Seven wasn't even looking at me. I could feel my face harden.

"I'm exhausted. Jaehee, I'm going to take a bath and get some sleep." I said softly, standing up and walking to my room.

"All right, I'll be there in a bit." I heard her say as I shut the door and walked to the large windows that lined the room. I stared at the view of the ocean, as the waves rippled melodically. It was a lonely but peaceful sight. I placed my right hand on the window and enjoyed the cold feeling of it on my hand. I wondered if he had even listened to it. If he had even cared. My fingers clenched. "Stupid Seven." I muttered.

* * *

This chapter was kinda cheesy, but I loved it anyhow. But yea, that's the end of the Busan trip! Hope it was enjoyable despite the length. Next chapter everyone returns home and start talking about the next fundraising party!


	5. A Special Dinner

Chapter 5- Dinner at Jumin's

*I'm going to start doing character intro's to make them less boring. (Keep in mind they don't affect the story)*

Me: Yay! Kao finally admitted that she likes Seven!

Zen: I can't imagine why.

Seven: I sure can! XD

Zen: -_-

Jaehee Kang: The question is, if Seven likes Kao.

Jumin: Hmm...

Seven: ….

Zen: -_-

Jaehee Kang: -_-

Jumin Han: -_-

Yoosung: -_-

Seven: What?! Why are you making those faces?!

Kao: Haha...aha….

Me: Also, there will be spoilers in this chapter for the actual game. So I recommend you play through it at least once before continuing!

* * *

"Kao, Wake up!" I felt someone shake me gently and my eyes slowly opened. I raised my head from my desk and looked around. Jeong waved at me.

"Hey Jeong." I said, yawning. He gast me a smile and then a concerned look.

"You shouldn't sleep like that, Mr. Loung won't be happy." I nodded slowly, blinking. He continued.

"But between friends, are you alright? You seem exhausted."

"I'm so tired." I said miserably.

"Why?" He asked.

"I only got four hours of sleep last night." I could barely concentrate, my eyelids felt like weights, and my actions were sluggish. He winced.

"Rough night then."

"Yeah." I said.

After the trip we had gotten one more free day. Everyone had been exhausted, and during that day I had been catching up on work. I didn't regret any of it though. The trip to Busan was freaking fantastic. I hadn't let go of my stress and worries like that for years. I thought a little about what had happened after the test of courage.

I had fallen asleep at around twelve, after taking a shower and getting ready for bed. The next morning I had woke up slightly before 4 to board the plane at 6, which I had gotten little sleep on.

"You should have asked for another free day." Jeong said, interrupting my thoughts.

"I guess, but I've already missed two days." I replied. Jeong nodded slowly, and turned to his computer, eyes hardening. He didn't ask where I had been before that. And I deemed it as uninterest.

For the rest of the day, I could barely get anything done. As if my drowsiness wasn't enough, whenever I was awake, thoughts of Seven constantly flooded my head. Replacing calculations, and estimates, and all the things I should have had in my head as I was working.

"Goddamit." I hissed under my breath, massaging my forehead. I wanted to talk to him, badly. I hadn't seen him since the plane ride, and it was affecting me.

My hand itched to check if he was online. I wondered if he was thinking of me. Biting my lip, I checked my phone, disappointed when he was offline. Though, Jaehee was on. I assumed she was on her break. I glanced over my shoulder, Jeong had gone for a break and Mr. Loung was nowhere to be seen. It wouldn't hurt. I decided to pm her.

Kao- "Hey Jaehee."

A few seconds passed.

Jaehee Kang- "Good afternoon Kao."

Kao- "How's work going?"

Jaehee Kang- "All right. I'm currently on break. How about you?"

Kao- "I'm not doing very well T-T"

Jaehee Kang- "Oh? What's wrong?"

Kao- "Tired."

Jaehee Kang- "Me too. Oh, right!"

Kao- "Hm?"

Jaehee Kang- "Mr. Han has an announcement to make."

Kao- "lol, not another trip is it?"

Jaehee Kang- "No."

Kao- "Aww"

Jaehee Kang- "He was planning to have dinner with all of the members this evening."

Kao- "Did he announce it in the chat?"  
Jaehee Kang- "Yes, but not many people were on. And you're probably not in the habit of checking previous chatrooms yet."

Kao- "oh true. Thanks!"

Jaehee Kang- "Of course, happy to help."

Kao- "Why are we eating dinner though? I'm not complaining, but we just went on a trip together."

Jaehee Kang- "Mr. Han wants you to meet V in person, and we still need to decide the next party date, so Mr. Han decided to schedule dinner."

Kao- "Ohhh, I see."

Jaehee Kang- "Besides that, are you doing okay?"

Kao- "Tired."

Jaehee Kang- "No, I meant with Seven."

Kao- "..."

Jaehee Kang- "...?"

Kao- "..."

Jaehee Kang- "?"

Kao- "I'm...managing."

Jaehee Kang- "So you're not doing very well."

I laughed bitterly. She knew me well.

Kao- "I...gah…"

Jaehee Kang- "At least you'll be able to see him this evening."

This was true. A small smile crept up on my face. I would see him again, tonight.

Kao- "How should I act?!"

Jaehee Kang- "I'm not sure…"

Kao- "What am I going to wear?!"

Jaehee Kang- "It shouldn't be too hard to find something."

I covered my face with my hands, sighed, and picked up my phone again.

Kao- "I'll try...but enough about me. What about you Jaehee?"

Jaehee Kang- "Not much is going on with me. Just the usual overload of paperwork, stress, and lack of sleep. Not to mention Mr. Han will be dropping Elizabeth the 3rd off tomorrow. I find your life far more interesting.'

Kao- "Honestly, I'd be happy to switch places with you. Elizabeth is so cute!"

Jaehee Kang- "...Go ahead please."

Kao- "haha"

Jaehee Kang- "You know, I could come over before we go to dinner, if you need some help with clothes."

Kao- "Could you?! That would be great!"

Jaehee Kang- "Yes, I can bring some of my clothes over."

Kao- "You're a lifesaver!"

Jaehee Kang- "^^"

Kao- "What time do you want to come over?"

Jaehee Kang- "Dinner is at 7, so maybe around 5:30?"

Kao- "Sounds good! The address of my apartment is 1702 SomewhereinSeoul St, and my room number is 503."

Jaehee Kang- "Okay, thank you. I have to go now, my break is over."

Kao- "Alright."

Jaehee Kang- "See you then."

Kao- "Yup!"

I turned off my phone and sighed, letting my head rest against the back of my chair. I glanced at the watch on my table, it was almost 2. I had around 3 hours to finish the rest of my work before I had to meet Jaehee. I shook my head to stay awake. It was impossible. I glanced at Jeong who had come back, currently typing at light speed.

"Jeong?" I asked. He didn't respond. I tapped his shoulder, and he glanced at me. "Sorry, can I ask for a really big favor?" I questioned. Jeong leaned back and smiled.

"Of course."

"Could you give me some help on estimates? I need to finish up quickly. If you're good with yours that is." I added quickly. Jeong laughed a little.

"I finished work four hours ago, happy to help." He came over to my desk and started talking about estimates. I stared at him. He had finished four hours ago? Then why was here still here?

* * *

Jeong was a genius. He seemed to be one with the computer and the mechanics. He knew every shortcut, glitch to be avoided, and code. He didn't even do the calculations most of the time, because he was so proficient at using the computer. He appeared to be patient with my errors and questions, and by the time it was almost 5 I had finished for the day.

"Jeong! Thank you so much!" I said, grabbing my coat and logging off. He flashed me a grin.

"Of course, always happy to help a fellow noob."

"Fellow? Don't make me laugh. We're totally different in skill, you're the senpai, I'm the kohai."

"Hey now, we aren't in Japan." He replied. I laughed.

"Seriously though, you're a genius."

"You're flattering me." He was leaning on his chair.

"It's true. Where did you learn?"

"Secret" He replied.

"That's no fun."

"Quite the contrary." He replied. "But on another note, can I treat you to dinner again?"

"Ahhh, sorry, I'm busy today." He seemed to be slightly disappointed, but recovered.

"Aw. Then you have to promise something." He said.

"Of course, you just helped me a lot, I owe you a favor."

"Let me take you out for a while, just to hang out. Dinner, movies, something like that." I stayed silent.

"Like a date?" I asked uneasily. Jeong caught my tone.

"Nah, just hanging out. Between friends." I nodded.

"Sounds good." I said, a smile on my face. There was nothing to worry about. It was just hanging out. He smiled."Thanks again, I won't forget this." I said happily as I walked out.

As the elevator doors shut I stared at the floor in silence. I couldn't read Jeong. One minute he was closed off and secretive. And the next he was flirty and charming. I couldn't tell if he liked me romantically or if he just considered me as a co worker and a friend. Something had changed between him and I in between the trip. I felt slightly off, as if I had betrayed Seven somehow. But that was ridiculous. I had no reason to feel that way. It wasn't like Seven liked me. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, opened them, and walked out of the elevator.

* * *

Later on, when I heard the doorbell, I hurried to the door and opened it. Jaehee stood in the hallway, holding a bag in her hand.

"Hey Jaehee!" I said happily.

"Hello Kao." She replied, stepping in after I gestured her to. "You have a lovely place."

"Thanks." I said with a laugh. "It's small but I love it." She nodded.

"It's very quaint." Jaehee glanced at her bag. "Do you want to see some of the clothes? I'm by no means a fashion expert, but…"

"Of course!" I said, excited. It felt like I was a child again. Inviting my friend over, talking about school, trying on clothes and hanging out. It had been years since I had a good friend.

Jaehee laid out the clothes she brought on my bed and we discussed the options. There were four dresses. One was black, long and slick. With an open back and a white bow. The red was fairly shorter, and slightly more revealing, but gorgeous. The blue dress was a beautiful evening gown, long and flowing, with a ribbon and a few frills. And the last dress was more refined and mature, with the top being white and the bottom being black.

"Oh boy." I said, bewildered.

"Sorry, I might have brought too much." Jaehee said bashfully. I shook my head quickly.

"No, no! This is great! I've never had so many options." Jaehee smiled.

"The red one is sexy." I admitted. Jaehee blushed slightly.

"It was on sale." She said quickly. I laughed.

"Great deal then. And the two black ones are refined. And the blue one is graceful." I added. Jaehee nodded.

"You know, I've never actually worn any of these." She said sadly. I blinked.

"What? They're so beautiful!"

"I know...I've never had the chance. All the fancy occasions I go to are with Mr. Han, and I have to wear business suits. I can't be the center of attention, I am merely an assistant. But I don't particularly mind the suits, they are comfortable."

"But you'd look amazing in these." I said, hands on my hips. Jaehee smiled.

"I don't think so."

"Uh huh." I said. She shook her head. I stayed silent and then looked at her. "Wait, you aren't planning to wear a business suit to dinner are you?" I asked. Jaehee blinked.

"And if I was?"

"You can't! Absolutely not! I won't allow it!" I demanded.

"I'm not going to wear a dress." Jaehee said.

"Of course you are! This is dinner! Not a Mc Ronalds dinner! Fancy dinner! And you're going to it as Jaehee Kang, not Jumin's assistant. You're going to it as a member of RFA, an equal." I said. Jaehee seemed to be unsure.

"I wouldn't be comfortable." She said quickly.

"You'll be fine." I said.  
"I don't-"

"Jaehee." I interrupted. She blinked. "If you're not going to wear a dress, then I'm not going to go to the dinner at all." Jaehee panicked.

"But Kao-"

"Nu uh." I waved my finger in front of my face. "Not gonna go." She stayed silent. I raised an eyebrow. "You in or you out?" Jaehee sighed, as if she was in pain and then she responded.

"Fine. But nothing flashy." I nodded, delighted.

"Of course! You choose!" I said grinning.

I ended up choosing the blue dress, and Jaehee chose the black one with the white top. I let her borrow a pair of flats (I wouldn't let her wear the shoes that went with the suit) and I put on a pair of blue ones.

"I didn't think you were into fashion." Jaehee said, staring at herself in the mirror.

"I'm not." I admitted. "My friend in high school was into it though." I slipped my braid over my shoulder and smiled. "There."

"Your keeping your braid?" Jaehee asked, bewildered.

"I always have my braid." I said.

"You should put it down." She said.

"Should I?" I asked, staring at myself. I didn't think there was really a difference if my hair was up or down. Jaehee nodded.

"Why not?" She asked.

"I guess." I responded, taking out my braid. My hair landed on my back lightly. Because it was always braided, it was slightly curly even though it was naturally straight. Jaehee smiled and then nodded.

"I like it." She said with a smile. I shrugged, glancing at her.

"Jaehee, you should grow out your hair a bit." I said. She seemed to ponder the idea.

"I kind of like it short. Easy to manage."

"That's true." I checked my watch. "It's 6:24, we should get going." I said.

"Yes." Jaehee responded, grabbing her purse. "I'm excited, I haven't seen V personally since the last party." I blinked. That's right, V would be there.

"That's true! I can't wait!" I said, ecstatic.

* * *

When we got there Jumin and Zen were waiting for us outside of the restaurant. Which was, by the way, owned by Jumin's company and beautiful. It was westernly themed, with dark walls and pillars. It had multiple stories, and balconies, with gold lacing the rooftop. A small fountain was sitting in front of the main entrance, with shrubs and trees decorating the lawn around it. It looked like something out of a movie. I whistled.

"Hey guys." Zen called out. He looked fabulous as usual, white suit, black tie. You can imagine. Jumin looked as he normally did as he usually wore a suit, but this time it looked more expensive and slick. They waved to us and we came over. Zen stared at us as we came closer.

"You two look lovely." He said as he winked at us. "Almost as handsome as me." Then he blinked. "Wait. Is that Jaehee?" Jaehee made a strange face. Zen peered at her. "No, it can't be. Jaehee never wears a dress." Jaehee frowned. Jumin slid besides him.

"I agree. It can't possibly be Assistant Kang."

"Is there a problem with Jaehee wearing a dress?" I asked, offended. Jumin and Zen were silent.

"It can't possibly be Assistant Kang." Jumin said again. Zen nodded.

"I agree, I've never seen her before." He said with a bow. "It's nice to meet you fair maiden. What's your name?" He asked slyly. Jaehee seemed to burst with frustration.

"Yes! Yes it is me! I know it's shocking, but I can physically look nice once in awhile! Just because I have to wear business suits most of the time does not mean that when I do wear a dress everyone has to treat me differently!" She yelled. We were silent, and then Jumin spoke.

"Good lord. It really is Assistant Kang."

"Yes it's me." Jaehee snapped impatiently, pushing up her glasses. Zen whistled.

"Sorry Jaehee, I didn't recognize you." He said. "You usually don't look so...feminine." Jaehee was silent, and I took a few steps back.

A few terrifying seconds later.

"Remind me to never say that again." Zen muttered.

"Never say that again." I warned him. Zen nodded. We stared at Jaehee who was acting like nothing happened.

"But seriously Zen. You look amazing." Jaehee said, admiring his figure while she sighed in bliss.

"Thanks." Zen replied. After the compliment he seemed to be revived. "I'm glad no one else will be here tonight, otherwise I'd be bombarded with fans."

"Will you ever stop?" Jumin snapped. Zen cast him a dirty look.

"You know it's true."

"Wait, no one else is going to be there?" I asked. Jumin nodded.

"I wanted it to be empty."

"Hey!" A voice called out behind us. We turned around to see Yoosung waving as he crossed the street.

"Hey Yoosung!" I said, waving back.

"Good evening." Jaehee said. Zen waved as well.

"How do I look?" Yoosung asked. He wore a black suit and blue tie, and was tugging at his blonde hair. "A friend let me borrow it."

"Very nice." I responded with a smile.

"Much better." Zen said.

"You don't look like a delinquent who plays LOLOL." Jaehee added with a nod.

"Jaehee is mean." Yoosung whined.

"Jaehee...is in a bad mood right now." I responded wearily. Yoosung glanced at her and then gaped.

"Jaehee is wearing a dress! AAAA MONSTER!"

"Be quiet." Jaehee snapped. I snickered.

"Hello everyone." V emerged from around the corner, hands in his pockets. We waved.

Seeing him personally was strange. He had light blue hair that stylishly hung over his eye. He wore a gray suit and a white tie, with a necklace with a metal plate. He looked like an anime character.

"Blue hair." I muttered under my breath.

"What?" V asked.

"Nothing." I said quickly. "It's nice to meet you." V smiled

"It's nice to see all of you again. It's been a while." V said. The others began converse with him and I added a few points then and there, eventually letting them talk on their own. I looked at the evening sky, which had a light blush across the sky. It was a beautiful evening. Not as sticky as usual with a light summer breeze that whisked up your hair, carrying it into the wind. And that's when I heard him.

I turned around, mind blank as soon as I heard his voice. A voice that I had wanted to hear since this morning. I saw him strolling over, a hand in his pocket as he waved. He came closer, walking over to talk to Jumin. Seven's crimson hair was pushed back and his golden eyes glistened brightly. He wore a stylish black suit with bits of red. His glasses were gone, he didn't seem nerdy at all. Not one bit. I swallowed and looked away, biting my lip. God dammit Seven.

"Everyone is here." Jumin said, satisfied. "Let's go."

We turned around and made our way towards the doors. My eyes flicked towards Seven's, surprised when I realized that they were planted on mine. His golden eyes were wide as he stared at me. And I stared at him.

And for a moment, I forgot where I was, and what I was doing. And it was just us, alone, lost in each other's eyes. I swallowed, I could feel my reddening cheeks and my heart in my ears. It was almost excruciating looking at him. But I couldn't stop. I didn't want to stop. In that moment he became even more perfect. I realized that I couldn't keep this up much longer. I couldn't stop my feelings. They were like a glass of boiling water, bubbling at the top, ready to burst. His eyes lowered slightly, and then he looked away. And then moment was over.

I breathed and forced my eyes away, screaming internally. I was greedy, I wanted more. More moments like that, where his eyes were on me, and me only. I didn't care that it was selfish. I couldn't help it. When I liked Seven, I became a completely different person. And I hated it, but I couldn't stop.

Seven P.O.V

I had been avoiding looking at Kao. It was painfully difficult and eventually I couldn't help but take a glance. So I did. And when I did I was completely bewildered. Her hair was down, slightly curled, resting on her back, the dress was lovely and fit her perfectly. She was gorgeous. And I couldn't move my gaze. With a start I realized her eyes had moved to meet mine. I told myself to look away, but I didn't. I couldn't. I forgot about the others, I forgot that we were going to eat dinner. I just saw her face and her brown eyes and became lost. My fingers twitched, I almost stopped walking completely. My breath hitched. Why was she so beautiful? Why did she always stare at me like that? It drew me to her, and I swallowed. Look away. I told myself. I didn't want to. I wanted to stare at her forever. I wanted her to stare at **me** forever. But I had to stop. Using everything I had, I ripped my eyes away and looked forward. Feeling her eyes bore into mine, and then look away slowly.

Kao P.O.V

"Kao." I blinked and looked up. Yoosung was staring at me worriedly.

"Are you okay? Your cheeks are red." He said. I blinked in surprise, and then touched my face gently, taking a breath.

"I'm fine." I replied quickly. Yoosung seemed doubtful, but he nodded and looked forward. Get yourself together. I muttered, slapping my cheeks.

As we walked inside the restaurant it seemed to loom forward, as if it became 10 times bigger. The lights shined brightly, shimmering on the tiles, coming from a chandelure that rested on the ceiling. A staircase led to the upper floor which overlooked the bottom and led out to the balcony. On both floors were tables with white cloth that had shimmering glasses and small flowers, with plush chairs surrounding them. The dim smell of freshly lit candles surrounded the room, and a classical song played luxuriously in the background.

"I'm glad I wore a suit. Even if no one else is here but the staff." Yoosung whispered, gazing at the chandelure nervously. A woman came up to us, her hair was in a bun and she wore a white blouse and black pants. She tilted her head in respect.

"Good evening Mr. Han, where would you like to be seated?"

"Somewhere on the balcony." Jumin replied. The woman nodded, and she led us up to the second floor.

The balcony was lovely as well, with a slick railing that overlooked the fountain and the heart of the city.

"Jumin you always go above expectations." I said in awe, as if the vacation to Busan wasn't impressive enough. Jumin smiled slightly.

"Of course." He replied, as if there was no other way it would be.

"This guy can get whatever he wants because of his money." Zen said with a huff.

"That's correct." Jumin replied a matter a factly.

"Wait you arranged for the restaurant to be empty?" Asked Yoosung, bewildered.

"Yes."

The other members continued talking, but I stayed silent, and Seven did as well. My eyes involuntarily flicked to his, but Seven was staring out at the city, his cheek resting on his hand, golden eyes lowered in speculation. My heart tightened. And I looked down, hands clenched. Did I look nice?

"Kao?" I blinked, looking up.

"Yeah? Sorry." I said quickly, V smiled.

"How was the trip?" He asked, looking at all of us. We all became excited.

"A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!" Yoosung cried, throwing his hands up.

"It was very nice." Jaehee said happily.

"Fantastic!" I responded energetically.

"Loved it." Seven said.

"Pleasant." Jumin added cooly.

"Great." Zen said with a smile. "We threw Jumin into the ocean while he was sleeping." Jumin cast him a frigid look. V laughed. He had a nice laugh.

"Did you get any guests on the trip?" V asked. We all stayed silent.

"We forgot." Jaehee said finally.

"My bad." I said miserably.

"No, I forgot as well." Jumin added.

"That's all right, we still have time. But I'd like to tell everyone the date of the next party." We all stared at him, alerted. The next party? "I was thinking in at least a week." V said. The table burst in conversation.

"A week?! We don't even have any guests!"

"This is Kao's first time at holding a party, isn't this too soon?"

"I don't know V, that's a little abrupt."

"It'll have to be small."

"Yes, I think it would be better if it were small." V said, nodding. "Because it's Kao's first time holding one, I figured a small one would be best. And then a larger one after you understand what to do." He looked at me. "What do you think Kao?" I stayed silent, feeling everyone's gaze rest on me.

Could I do it in a week? With all of the work I already had? I couldn't say no though, everyone was counting on me. I knew they all wanted a party, all wanted things to be the way they used to be. I also knew that if I wasn't able to do it, they would give me time, and wouldn't pressure me. That's just the kind of people they were. But I wanted to do something for them, everyone had been so kind to me. Jaehee had become my new best friend, Jumin had taken me on the best vacation I had ever been on. Yoosung had become like a younger brother to me. Zen was a freaking celebrity who was a good friend to me as well. And Seven, well, that was self explanatory.

"I'll try my best." I said, with a smile. There were several grins.

"Thanks Kao."

"Yes, thank you Kao."

"Don't thank me." I said with a laugh. "I should be the one thanking all of you. You've all been amazing friends, the best I could ever ask for."

* * *

An hour later.

"Okay, so, I had decided to hide on the upper deck right? Cause I figured no one would expect it, since it was the closest to the starting point." Yoosung said, as he recited what happened to him during the test of courage.

"I started on the upper deck as well." Jaehee added with a nod.

"And when the lights went off, I almost screamed! I was this close!" He held up his fingers a few centimeters apart. "And then freaking Jumin lumbered in, tripping on me! And then I screamed!" The table burst into laughter. Yoosung interjected them. "I'm serious, really screamed. Loudly! And then Jumin started to hit me cause he thought **I** was attacking **him."**

"I already apologized." Jumin said coolly, taking a sip of his wine.

"NO! You be quiet!" Yoosung yelled, pointing at him. "And then he dumped a glass of water on me!"

"In my defense I thought you were trying to kill me." Jumin interrupted.

"Why?! We were in the middle of a test of courage! Why would I be a murderer?! And why did you have water anyways?!" Yoosung snapped.

"And it was wine actually." Jumin added. "I took a glass of wine with me."  
"You took wine with you?" I asked, bewildered. "In the dark?!"

"Jesus." Zen said.

"Mr. Han…" Jaehee started to say, massaging her forehead.

"That was wine?!" Yoosung yelled. He sniffed his hair and then stared at Jumin angrily. "You dumped wine on me?!"

"How do you mix up wine with water anyways?" Seven asked, a grin on his face.

"They're both liquids!" Yoosung said defensively, hands on the table.

"They smell completely different!" Zen yelled.

"How should I know?! I was a little preoccupied with Jumin who was hitting me, thank you very much!"

"So that's why you got out in the first few seconds." I said.

"Hey! Kao! Why aren't you on my side!?" Yoosung whined. I shrugged.

"Can't support someone who defends himself by saying that wine and water are both liquids." I responded.

"Hold on, that means Jumin was the second one to get out." Zen said as he leaned forward with a grin on his face. "Relay us the story."

"Please, do tell Mr. Han." Jaehee said. Jumin blinked and cleared his throat.

"I apologize, I must go to bathroom."

"Oh no, don't you run away mister." Zen snapped, dragging him back in his chair as he made an attempt to stand up.

"I must excuse myself." Jumin said cooly.

"Tell us what happened." I said with a grin. "Wait, who got him out anyhow?"

"I did." Seven said, glancing at me.

"If Jumin won't say anything, you tell us what happened!" Yoosung said with a squeal. I glanced at Seven who seemed to be revived.

"Well, I was prowling through the darkness, like a lion stalking it's prey." He began.

"Good lord." Jumin muttered under his breath, covering his eyes.

"I saw a figure with my golden eyes, and I crept towards them silently. I could hear their frightened breaths, their small frame. And then I lunched for the kill." Seven paused, took a dramatic breath, and then continued. "My fingers were sharp claws of death, wanting their blood, wanting to win. Desperately wanting to hear that bloodcurdling scream that filled my life with sick, twisted joy." The table was utterly silent.

"Did they scream?!" I asked finally.

"They did." Seven replied simply. The table started talking again.

"That was Jumin!?"Jaehee asked, hands on the table.

"Stop shitting around, I didn't scream at all." Jumin interjected. Jaehee was having a hard time not bursting into laughter. Unlike Zen and I who were laughing openly, and Yoosung who was snorting.

"Oh...that's priceless." Zen said.

"Now now Jumin, don't be embarrassed." Seven said slyly.

"I didn't scream. You grabbed my ribbon." Jumin snapped.

"That's not what happened and you know it." Responded Seven, as his golden eyes narrowed.

"You grabbed my ribbon!" Jumin hissed, tightening his tie.

"We're all friends here." I said, letting my chin rest on my interlocked hands. "Tell us the truth." Jumin made a frustrated noise and stared at us.

"I can't begin to comprehend why you are all taking his side. V, you do believe me, correct?" V glanced at Jumin and shrugged innocently.

"You were never good with that kind of stuff. Remember that one time with the haunted house when we were kids?"

"V, come on." Jumin said, controlling his anger.

"Wait, how long have you two known each other" I asked.

"They're childhood friends." Zen said.

"Then V must know all of Jumin's dirty secrets!" I said eagerly.

"Exactly!" Seven interjected, his finger in the air. "That's why we must convince him to spill them!" V smiled guiltily.

"I want to hear that story about the haunted house." Jaehee said. V leaned forward.

"Well, it's not that big of a deal but when we went to the haunted house, as soon as we entered. Jumin screamed and held my hand." He whispered. The table screamed loudly.

"Jumin screamed!" I cheered.

"It's a Christmas miracle!" Yoosung said, throwing his napkin in the air.

"It's not even remotely close to Christmas!" Jumin countered, slamming his hands on the table.

"This is such a happy day." Jaehee sniffed, taking a napkin to her eyes.

"Oh my god. Jumin Han you actually held his hand!" Zen said, laughing.

"What did I tell you?" Seven asked. "Jumin is secretly as small little boy. Sheltered by his family, secretly yearning for love!" He cooed.

"Shut up!" Jumin snapped. "It's not a big deal, screaming is what you do in a haunted house. And I was seven."

"No you weren't." Seven replied slyly.

"The age." Jumin replied icely.

"But the fact that it was you-" I laughed.

"Is priceless!" Zen said, flipping his hair back. And throughout the night, the table continued to make fun of Jumin.

* * *

The time flew by, and by the time we decided to leave, it was already almost 11 at night. Everyone thanked Jumin for the dinner and re-thanked him for the trip to Busan (even Zen), and then we began to take our separate ways. Zen and Yoosung left together right away, as Zen had given him a lift. And Jumin got in his limo, leaving Jaehee, Seven and I. Jaehee and I had driven in her car and she would drop me off at my apartment.

"Hold on." She told me, as she went back towards the doors, where Seven was making his way towards his car. I stared at her, bewildered. What was she doing? They exchanged a few words, and Jaehee came back, holding back a smile.

"What?" I asked. She gestured towards Seven and then got in her car, shutting the door behind her and locking the doors. "Hey, Jaehee!" I knocked on her window. Jaehee glanced at me and rolled it down slightly.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing? I'm getting a ride back with you." I said.

"No you're not." She responded.

"What? We said-"

"I'm afraid I'm in a rush." Jaehee said with a sigh. "I don't have the time to drop you off." I blinked.

"Then who-"

"Seven will." She interrupted. I glanced at Seven who was leaning against his car, on his phone, and then back at her.

"Jaehee." I snapped. "You...didn't arrange this on purpose, did you? I don't want a ride with Seven! I can't be alone with him-"

"Sorry." She mouthed, as she rolled up the window.

"Hey! Jaehee!" I yelled as she drove off. I groaned and closed my eyes, opening them again. This was bad, really bad. Slowly, I turned around and began to walk towards him. I would get a taxi ride, or something.

Seven looked up and then put his phone away, opening the door on my side and then getting in on the drivers side. I stared at the car hesitantly. But a taxi was expensive. And...and...he had a nice car. I looked around, silently cursing Jaehee before I got inside, shutting the door behind me.

"Sorry about this." I said softly. "If you don't have the time, I can just-"

"I don't mind." Seven responded quickly as he started the car. He gave me a sly grin and I wanted to melt then and there.

"All right." I replied, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear nervously.

* * *

We decided to take the "country" road back, to avoid traffic and enjoy the view. But I couldn't pay attention to the view at all.

I hadn't been completely alone with Seven since the Test of Courage. What should I say? How should I act? Like normal? To hell with that! I couldn't act normal...I bit my lip. I was physically and emotionally incapable of acting normal around him when I wanted to. He brought it out of me.

"You...look nice." Seven said finally. My breath hitched and I glanced at him.

"You too." I said quickly. "You look nice without your glasses." I stuttered. "I mean. You look nice with them on too. I mean. You just look-" I stopped talking and laughed uneasily. Seven grinned as he stared at the road in front of him.

"Thanks. But seriously Kao, I'm nothing compared to you." He said.

"No way." I said.

"It's true." He said. I shook my head. "Kao."

"Nope." I said. "You look better tonight." It was true. He looked amazing.

"Hey. I'm serious." Seven responded.

"So am I." I challenged.

"You want to go?" Seven asked, raising an eyebrow and giving me his classic "Seven" look.

"I'll fight you." I said, raising my fists. "You looked better tonight. That's final."

"Did not." Seven said. "And I'd beat you."

"Would not!"

"Yup." He responded.

"You're just a nerd!" I said.

"A 22 year old hacker nerd to be exact. But so are you. Minus the hacker part." He added.

"That's true." I stuttered. "But that's besides the point!"

"Is it?"

"Yeah." I said. Seven sighed dramatically.

"And I won our contest. Better than you~" He gave me a grin. I bit my lip.

"That was luck." I responded.

"Do you really think so?" He asked, his golden eyes sliding back to meet mine. I opened my mouth to respond and then closed it.

No. It wasn't luck. The truth was that Seven was a prodigy, he was a genius. Frankly, I had been lucky to win the swimming part of the contest, and a bit of me wondered if he had purposely let me win. If that was the case then no luck had taken part in any of it, it had all been Seven. It annoyed me a little. Why was he so good at everything? I couldn't even compete with him.

I stayed silent as I stared at him. His eyes were so beautiful, unnatural almost. Seven blinked, and his eyes moved forward to face the street. I silently released the breath I was holding, and looked down. When Seven was around I couldn't think straight. I couldn't stand when he looked at me. It was painful, but at the same time, I wanted him to stare at me.

"I guess you really wanted that cereal." I responded shakily. Seven tilted his head to the side in contemplation.

"Yeah." He responded. "That wasn't the only reason though." I glanced at him.

"Why else?" I asked, confused. Seven was silent.

"Secret." He said finally.

"Hey." I said. "You didn't have to mention it then."

"What's the fun in that?" He asked.

"That's true. Speaking of which, when do you want that cereal anyways?"

"Oh." He hesitated. "Anytime you're free."

"I'm not sure. Can I text you when I know?" I asked.

"Sure." Seven responded.

"How did you like the dinner?" I asked.

"It was nice." He said. "What about you?"

"I liked it." I responded quickly. "It was nice seeing V in person." I added. Seven nodded.

"It's too bad he couldn't come with us on the trip." He said.  
"Yeah." I responded softly. There was silence.

"Making of fun of Jumin was hilarious." I said with a laugh. Seven grinned.

"I can't believe he screamed." He said.

"Me either! I can't believe he even went **in** a haunted house!" I replied.

"It was probably V." Seven admitted. "Damn, I would pay so much to watch Jumin scream on video." I pointed at him and he blinked.

"So you didn't make Jumin scream during the Test Of Courage." I said.

"Hoho, smart girl."

"Not really, I played around at dinner, but I didn't think you actually made him scream." I admitted. Seven gasped dramatically.

"You don't think I'm capable enough?" He asked, offended.

"No you're definitely capable enough. But Jumin would have been flustered if you said so."

"You think?" He asked. "He has a pretty good handle on his emotions."

"Not that good though." I replied.

"Debatable." Seven replied. Our eyes met and we laughed.

"Maybe." I admitted. A smile crept on his face.

"Maybe." He said. I looked down, cheeks warm.

"This is it right?" Seven asked. The car stopped with a halt. I glanced at the apartment outside the window. We were already here?

"Yeah." I responded. I didn't want to leave. I really didn't. Being with Seven was amazing, and I didn't want it to end. I could feel Seven's golden eyes on me as I slowly reached for the car handle.

"Kao." He said. I looked at him. "If you want." He hesitated, scratching his head. "We could drive around a little longer." I stared at him, surprised. He caught my glance and blushed a little. "I mean, if you want."

"Yes." I said quickly. "If you don't mind" I added quickly. A small smile pulled at Seven's lips and he nodded.

"I don't mind." He responded

"Neither do I." I said. Seven grinned bashfully.

"Where to?" He asked.

"Your choice Captain Seven." I said, winking.

* * *

Almost two hours later.

Kao- "JAEHEE KANG!"

Jaehee Kang- "Oh, good evening."

Kao- "DON'T YOU GOOD EVENING ME"

Jaehee Kang- "?"

Kao- "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST LEFT ME LIKE THAT!"

Jaehee Kang- "Oh that? Wasn't that almost two hours ago?"

Kao- "That's besides the point!"

Jaehee Kang- "Did you have fun?"

Kao- "Hey! Don't change the subject...but...yeah...kinda maybe."

Jaehee Kang- "I will take that as a yes ^^"

Kao- "...Promise to never do that again."

Jaehee Kang- "Can't."

Kao- "Grrr"

Jaehee Kang- "How long were you with him?"

Kao- "Seven?"

Jaehee Kang- "Yse."

Kao- "?"

Jaehee Kang- "Typo sorry, yes."'

Kao- "Lol...almost two hours."

Jaehee Kang- "...Your apartment is not two hours away."

Kao- "We...drove around Seoul."

Jaehee Kang- "How nice~"

Kao- "...You're enjoying this aren't you."

Jaehee Kang- "Yes."

Kao- "...Getting ready to kill you."

Jaehee Kang- "^^"

Kao-"..."

Jaehee Kang- "I'm happy you two are progressing."

Kao- "I...progressing?"

Jaehee Kang- "Yes."

Kao- "I hope...that he doesn't just think of me as a friend."

Jaehee Kang- "Hmm…"

Kao- "What about you Jaehee?"

Jaehee Kang- "?"

Kao- "How was your evening?"

Jaehee Kang- "Oh. Just finished a bundle of paperwork that Mr. Han gave me."

Kao- "Ahhh"

Jaehee Kang- "I'm exhausted…"

Kao- "You should go, get some sleep."

Jaehee Kang- "Yes. Thank you for your concerns."

Kao- "...Jaehee."

Jaehee Kang- "Yes?"

Kao- "You...don't have to be so formal around me. You're kinda my best friend."

Jaehee Kang- "I'm your best friend?"

Kao- "Yup."  
Jaehee Kang- "It's nice of you to say that ^^ Well, I can't really be informal...but I'll try."

Kao- "XD"

Jaehee Kang- "For curiosity's sake, how does one be "informal* exactly?"

Kao- "Uhhhhh. less..formal words? Idk. But if you prefer to talk formally, go ahead. Don't mind me."

Jaehee Kang- "I don't mind. The main reason I talk like that is because It's been ingrained in me due to being Mr. Han's assistant."

Kao-"hold up."

Jaehee Kang-"Yes?"

Kao- "Say Jumin."

Jaehee Kang- "...Why?"

Kao- "Just say it...ples? XD"

Jaehee Kang- "...Mr. Han."

Kao- "Oh my god."

Jaehee Kang- "?"

Kao- "You can't call Jumin by his actual name?"

Jaehee Kang- "I am merely his assistant."

Kao- "But he's not even here!"

Jaehee Kang- "..."

Kao- "LMFAO!"

Jaehee Kang- "...Maybe one day XD"

Kao- "gasp you used an emoji! Well...not really but still."

Jaehee Kang- "XD"

Kao- "haha, I gtg"

Jaehee Kang- "Me too"

Kao- "Yup! Talk to you later! Goodnight!"

* * *

Seven P.O.V

Well, my not talking to Kao because I felt weird around her, had completely gone to shit. I stared at the ceiling in silence. I had done the complete opposite. I pushed my hair back in mild frustration. What was wrong with me? I never acted like this. Annoyed, I glanced at my computer which sat in the corner of my room. I should work. I should. I would do my normal work, get it done perfectly, and have enough time for LOLOL.

But I couldn't. I couldn't do anything.

"Shit." I muttered. All I could think about was- I heard a small buzzer and I sat up abruptly, walking over to my computer and turning it on. Jumin Han stood in front of my door, arms crossed. Why was Jumin here? I opened the door and leaned against the doorway.

"Come to whisk me away again?" I asked with a grin. Jumin stared at me silently with his typical fuck off look. "All right, sorry." I said, holding my hands up.

"I need to talk to you." He said, walking into my room. I felt a mild pinch of irritation, but followed him, closing the door behind me.

"What?" I asked.

"It's about Mint Eye." He said. The atmosphere immediately changed and I frowned.

"What about them?" I asked.

"It happened again." Jumin responded.

"Shit." I said. He nodded.

"It's getting worse." He said. I slumped into my chair and closed my eyes.

"How far are they?"

"From breaking the algorithm?" He asked. I nodded.

"Less than a day away." He said finally. I cursed softly and spun around to face my computer.

"You can't keep changing it." Jumin said as he walked up behind me.

"Watch me." I responded, keys flying across the keys. Numbers flashed across the screen, small streaks of white. I let my mind wander. I wondered what she was doing right now. If she had thought about me at all. Did she have fun? If she had-

"Seven." Jumin inturrupted. I blinked. "What are you doing?" He asked. I stared at the screen. It was a complete mess. I began to speak.

"I-"

"You know what will happen when they break in." He snapped. I covered my face and sighed.

"I can't concentrate."

"I can tell." I heard him reply. We were silent. "Is it because of Kao?" He asked. My eyes snapped open and I glared at him.

"What are you insinuating?" I asked darkly. Jumin glanced at me, eyes narrowing.

"I've seen how you act around her."

"I don't act any special way around her." I responded.

"Really?" He asked sarcastically.

"Yeah." I responded.

"Then you don't mind if I take her for myself?" He asked. I stared at him, in surprise, fists clenched. A wave of anger washed over me, and for a split second, I wanted to punch him. "I'm joking." He replied. Though I already knew he had been. I looked away, my fists slowly opening.

"I really hate you sometimes." I said.

"The feeling is mutual." Jumin replied cooly. "I can't tell whether your dense, or if you're just fighting against yourself. Though, I support it" He said. I stayed silent to that. I didn't like Kao. I didn't have time for emotions like that. I couldn't have emotions like that.

"I don't like her romantically." I replied. I heard Jumin sigh.

"I'll prepare for the break in. Should I warn the others?" He asked. Kao's face flashed in my mind for a brief second.

"No." I replied. "I'll take care of it." And I would. I had to.

* * *

That's it for chapter 5! Sorry it took so long to come out! Next chapter there will be problems with Mint Eye!


	6. Break In

Chapter 6- Break in

Yoosung- "Dinner was so much fun!"

Jaehee Kang- "It was very nice yes."

Zen- "Oh that's right Kao, wasn't your hair down?"

Kao- "Oh yeah, I forgot XD"

Jaehee Kang- "It looked very nice ^^"

Jumin Han- "It was very nice, I enjoyed seeing V."

707- "Yup! Luved it."

* * *

A blinding pain struck my left cheek and I was pushed backwards from the force, landing on the floor with a grunt.

"Imbecile." He hissed, staring at me as he pulled up his glove.

"I'm sorry." I replied, lowering my head, my left cheek was throbbing. I stared at the floor.

"Did I tell you to do that?" He bellowed.

"I'm sorry." I said again, voice low.

"You had no right do that! And now you're fooling around!" I lowered my head again.

"It's her." I said finally.

"Who?"

"The girl I invited in RFA, it's her. That's why I did it." I responded.

"You mean-"

"Yes." I said shakily. He was silent.

"How did you know?" He asked. I didn't respond, I could feel his eyes angrily drill into my head. "I won't repeat myself again." He hissed.

"I've been looking for her for a while." I said finally. "But...she's lost all recollection of the incident."

"What? How?" He asked, frustrated. I could tell he wasn't going to slap me again. My head tilted up slightly.

"I don't know. But she doesn't remember it. It could be trauma, or perhaps amnesia." I responded.

"Can you force her to remember it?" He asked. I hesitated.

"It'll be difficult."

"I don't care. A backup plan is good if we fail. Can you do it?" He snapped

"Yes." I said. "She won't remember it right away though."

"It doesn't matter." He turned around and began to walk forward, glancing over his shoulder at me. "If this works, RFA might be destroyed by one of its very own members." Then he laughed and closed the door behind him with a slam.

* * *

Kao P.O.V

I let my head rest against the chair with an exhausted sigh.

"Good work." Jumin said with a nod.

"Gathering guests is hard." I said, closing my eyes.

"It can be difficult yes." I heard Jaehee say. It was Saturday and I was currently at Jumin's company, gathering guests for the party that would be held next week.

"You're currently at ten people who said they will come for sure, eight who are unsure." Jaehee said, I could hear her pen tapping against her clipboard softly. My eyes opened slowly and I stared at the glass ceiling, squinting. The light shined in gently, warmth on my face.

"Good start. Will we do this tomorrow as well?" I asked.

"Assistant Kang and I won't have time tomorrow, but if you do I would recommend it." Jumin replied. I nodded and opened my mouth to add something.

But suddenly, at the same time, I heard three different ringtones. One of which was mine. We glanced at each other, and then looked at our phones. A single message hovered on the black screen.

Unknown- "Welcome to paradise."

I blinked. Unknown?

"Who is this?" Jaehee asked. We were silent. Unknown, that name. My breath hitched.

"That's the same person who texted me the night I joined." I said slowly. I tapped on the message and stared at it. Welcome to paradise? What did that mean? I glanced at Jumin who was making a strange face.

"I must excuse myself." He said, standing up.

"Where are you going?" I asked. "Weren't we going to get lunch?" Jumin glanced at me.

"You and Assistant Kang can, I have to take care of something." He strolled out, shutting the door behind him. Jaehee and I cast looks at each other.

Little did I know, was that this message would start off a chain reaction. Changing all of our lives completely. Mine especially.

A few hours later.

Yoosung- "I'm scared ;-;"

Jaehee Kang- "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about."

Zen- "Yeah, it's never happened before though."

Kao- "Everyone got it then?"

Yoosung- "The message?"

Kao- "Yeah."

Yoosung- "I think so…"

Kao- "Hmm"

Zen- "And you said Unknown is the same one who texted the night you joined?"

Kao- "Yeah...probably."

Yoosung- "...Where's Jumin?"

Jaehee Kang- "He said he had something to take care of, I haven't seen him since."

707 has entered the chatroom

Yoosung- "SEVEN!"

Jaehee Kang- "Luciel, what's going on?"

Zen- "Is Unknown a hacker?"  
My fingers moved to type something. But I decided to stay quiet.

707-"...They are a hacker yes."

Yoosung- "OMG"

Jaehee Kang- "Oh dear…"

707- "They broke through the algorithm. That's all they were able to type but…"

Zen- "But?"

707- "It might happen again."

Yoosung- ";-;"

Jaehee Kang- "Who exactly is Unknown?"

707- "I'm not entirely sure…"

Kao- "Are they dangerous?"

707- "It's a possibility."

I bit my lip. A tinge of worry was stabbing my heart. If it was the same Unknown, had he wanted me to join RFA on purpose? If so, why?

Kao- "Seven are you okay? You don't sound like yourself."

707- "I'm fine ^^ just tired."

Zen- "You should get some rest."

707- "I'll be fine. You all should look out for yourselves."

Yoosung- "What does this person want?"

707- "I'm not sure."

Zen- "They had enough skill to break through Seven's algorithm. That's a little terrifying."

Kao- "Yeah...what should we do?"

707- "For now just be on your guard. I don't think they'll try anything more for a while. I have to go, I'll stop by later."

707 has left the chatroom

Yoosung- "..."

Kao- "He left…"

Yoosung- "WAHHH"

Zen- "I'm sure Seven will take care of it."

Jaehee Kang- "He didn't seem to be well through."

Zen- "...I wish there was something I could do."

Kao- "same..."

Zen- "Damn it, where is that punk?"

Jaehee Kang- "...Mr. Han?"

Kao- "...Punk?"

Zen- "Yeah, he should be here right now."

Jaehee Kang- "I'm not sure…"

Zen- "He's never here when you need him -_- Anyhow, I have to go, the director is calling me. I'm sure everything will work out, I'll talk to you guys later."

Yoosung- "Bye Zen…"

Kao- "See ya."

Jaehee Kang- "Be safe."

Zen has left the chatroom

Jaehee Kang- "I have to go as well. I hope everything's going to be okay."

Yoosung- "bye Jaehee…Be safe."

Jaehee Kang- "You be safe too."

Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.

Kao- "I'm gonna go too...bye Yoosung"

Yoosung- "See ya…"

I leaned back on my chair and sighed. What did this Unknown want? Why had he said that? Welcome to paradise. It was strange phrase. It was meant to be unharmful, but those simple words seemed to be a warning. It frightened me a little. But everything would be fine, it had to be.

* * *

Several hours later

I woke up with a yawn, rubbing my eyes. Slowly, I reached for my phone and checked it. 1 am. Seven had said that he would come on later, but he never showed up. Leaving the rest of us clueless. I hoped that he was okay. It was Seven. He was a genius, everything would solve itself. But that didn't help the lingering doubt I felt. Because he was human. He wasn't magical and no matter how amazing he could make mistakes. And I couldn't help him at all, all I could do was make financial estimates. If I tried to help, I would just get in his way. I felt completely useless, and that was one of the feelings I hated most.

Suddenly, I heard a soft click and I looked up, blood turning cold. What was that? Slowly, I got out of bed, my hands grabbing a vase that sat on my wardrobe. I opened the door to my bedroom slowly, my eyes wandering through the darkness. Nothing. But I swore that I had heard something.

I walked down the steps, my heart beating in my ears. My eyes scanned over the room once more. The dark empty living room and kitchen stared at me silently. My eyes wandered to the outline of the door which was shut. The clock that hung up on my wall ticked softly, moonlight shined in softly from the balcony, casting shadows on the ground. Relief flooded me and I cast a final glance around before I headed upstairs.

Suddenly, I felt a hand grab my wrist and yank, I fell backwards on the steps, the vase crashing under me. I felt the individual shards stab my skin and I instinctively screamed and struggled against the person behind me, kicking them. They grabbed my leg and threw me against the wall, my vision swirled, pain slicing through my head like a knife. I grabbed a shard on the ground, it sliced through my finger as I tried to slash at them. Forcefully, they took it out of my hand and kicked me again. I screamed in pain and anger, grabbing their arm and biting them as hard as I could. The taste of blood and salt touched my tongue.

"Bitch!" I hear them hiss as they instinctively yanked away from my grasp. I coughed, my vision whirling. Phone. Help. Police. I thought desperately as I tried to scramble up the steps. They yanked my leg backwards and my hands latched instinctively onto the railing that lined the stairwell.

"Help!" I called out as loud as I could. I heard the door slam open and the force behind me disappeared. I looked behind me while scrambling up the steps. Two silhouettes were fighting each other, I could see their movements, fluid but violent. Quickly, I scrambled upstairs, locked the door and hid in the closet. My fingers quickly dove into my pocket and I called the police.

"Hello?" I heard a voice say.

"Someone has broken into my apartment." I said shakily, my hands were trembling.

"Where do you live?" They asked. I opened my mouth to respond when the door to my closet opened abruptly. Someone stood in front of me staring at me silently. My breath hitched. "Hello? Are you there ma'am?" The voice spoke softly from my phone. Was I going to die? Like this? Slowly, the figure in front of me knelt down. They gently took the phone from my frozen hand. Then they spoke.

"Kao?" They asked. My fear disappeared instantly. I knew that voice. Their golden eyes stared at me worriedly.

"Seven…?" I asked softly. He nodded, I collapsed on him, arms wrapping around his waist in a hug. "There was a person-" I began, voice cracking.

"I know." He responded softly. "You're safe now." I closed my eyes and stayed silent, burying my face in his neck. The pain in my ribs was too much, as if someone was taking a knife to them, my back throbbed from the glass. " I'm sorry I'm late." He said softly. His hand patted my head. Then he stared at me. "Are you alright?" He asked. I swallowed and stayed silent. "Did they hurt you?" He asked quickly.

"I'm all right." I said shakily. They probably weren't deep wounds, I would be fine.

"Can you stand?" He asked, standing up slowly, taking my hand.

"Yeah." I responded.

I began to stand, it felt like a hammer crashed into my chest, splitting my bones apart. I whimpered and stayed on the ground.

"Liar." Seven said. He lifted me up and opened the door that led downstairs.

"Put me down." I said.

"Be quiet." He responded.

"I can walk." I said forcefully.

"Liar." He said again. I bit my lip angrily, there it was again. I was so helpless, I couldn't do anything. Seven would always come to the rescue, and even though it made me happy it made me feel useless too. Anger stabbed at me relentlessly. I was silent for a bit, my mind whirling.

"Thank you." I said finally. Tears stung my eyes, threatening to fall. I wouldn't cry, I was stronger than that. I bit my lip to stop them from flowing. I wouldn't cry.

"Your welcome." Seven responded. "But you don't have to act so tough all the time."

"I'm not acting tough." I responded bitterly.

"Right." He said shortly. We stayed silent as he stepped into the hallway.

The lights were on and people were crowded around my door, most likely attracted by the noise.

"Kao dear is everything alright?" My neighbor asked worriedly, looking at my face. I blushed slightly and looked away. I probably had bruises all over my face.

"Everything is fine." Seven said, walking through the people. "I'm taking her to a hospital."

"No!" I said, looking at him. "I don't have enough money to pay the hospital bills for this."

"I'll take care of it." Seven responded, looking forward.

"No you won't." I said angrily.

"Yes, Kao. I will." Seven's eyes moved to mine and I could see he meant it. I looked down.

"I won't let you." I said. He sighed.

"Why can't you let me do something for you?" He asked helplessly.

"You've already done so much." I said softly.

"Then I'm taking you to my place." He said. "I have medical supplies there." I stayed silent to that. As much as I wanted to refuse, the pain I was feeling was almost blinding. Why had this happened? Why had that person attacked me? If Seven hadn't come- I shivered and didn't finish the thought. Was it Unknown? If so why? What did he gain from this? I closed my eyes miserably, I just wanted the pain to end.

* * *

"Ouch!" I said sharply as Seven dabbed my face.

"Stay still." He said, frustrated. I bit my lip and stayed silent, he sighed. "Your injured worse than I thought." He muttered as he began to wrap gauze around my hand.

"I can do it." I said, grabbing it. Seven stared at me, annoyed.

"You're so stubborn."

"Shut up." I muttered. Seven shook his head.

"How did you know?" I asked, as I wrapped the gauze around my hand.

"Know what?" He asked.

"That I was in danger."

"I didn't. I was just tracking him."

"Was it Unknown?" I asked, looking at him. His golden eyes glanced at me and then flicked away.

"I'm not sure." He responded.

"Then how-"

"There isn't just one person behind the hacking." Seven interrupted, as he sighed. "It's an organization." I was silent, in shock, and then I frowned.

"What? Why didn't you say so?"

"I didn't want to freak anyone out." He said.

"We were already freaked out!" I snapped. He nodded slowly.

"I know, I just." He sighed. "Anyhow, I've been tracking their signal for days but they have a powerful security system. And tonight one stray signal wandered away from their protection system, and they were at your apartment-" He stopped.

"You should have called the police." I said, my fingers fumbling. Seven finished the gauze and grabbed the other supplies staying silent.

"I wanted to save you." He said finally. I glanced at him in surprise. He looked at me. "Don't stare at me like that."

"Sorry." I muttered, looking down. "Thank you." I said again. His hands skillfully finished disinfecting the cuts on my face and he opened the drawer to his desk. He muttered something in response and then turned around to face me.

"Why do you have all these supplies anyways?" I asked. Seven hesitated.

"My friend has a small apartment so he likes to store his medical supplies here."

"Won't he get mad that you're using them?"

"Psh." Seven waved his hand. "Just a small lecture." I smiled.

"Can I go back now?" I asked.

"Go back where?"

"My apartment." I said. Seven stared at me, silent.

"I'm joking!" I said quickly.

"Good." Seven said with a sigh. "You were just attacked and they might come back again, I was afraid you had damaged your brain too." I laughed.

"Where should I stay?" I asked. He shrugged as he put away the supplies.

"Anywhere that's safe. Jumin's place is probably the best." He glanced at me.

"Can I go to a place where another guy doesn't live?" I asked. He laughed.

"Jaehee's another option then, but she and Zen went to Jumin's place after they heard about this."

"Wait, the other members know about this?" I asked. Seven glanced at me.

"Yeah, I told them." I looked down. "Were you planning to keep it a secret?" He asked. I felt a tinge of frustration.

"No." I said.

"Liar." He responded, turning around and plopping across from me on the couch. I stayed silent and decided to change the topic.

"Where's Yoosung staying?"

"At the usual place. He has classes so he can't move easily. Jumin sent him a few bodyguards." I gave him a look. "No he's not giving you any." Seven countered.

"Why?" I asked. He frowned.

"Do you know why your place isn't safe?" He asked, annoyed.

"Yeah, we went over it-"

"It's not just that. Jumin is practically surrounded by people, and Yoosung lives in a collage. A public place that's already well guarded. That's why Zen and Jaehee moved in with Jumin for the time being." I stayed silent. Seven crossed his arms and leaned back.

"Can I stay with you?" I asked finally. Seven blinked, his expression unguarded.

"Me?" He asked, surprised. I nodded slowly, embarrassed. Seven hesitated. "Why?" He asked. My head struggled to come up with a reason other than the fact that I liked him and I was a selfish bastard. Any chance there was to be with Seven I wanted to take it.

"Jumin's place is probably crowded now." I said slowly.

"You do know that I'm a guy right?" He asked slowly. I nodded. "And that it's just the two of us here."

"I trust you." I said simply. It was true. I knew Seven wouldn't try anything. A flicker of annoyance came over his face.

"Absolutely not." He said shortly.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because." He responded angrily, not looking at me.

"That didn't answer my question." I snapped.

"I don't want you to be here." His voice was rising. Pain stabbed my chest but I hid it well.

"There are too many people at Jumin's house!" I said loudly.

"That's fine." He responded cooly. "I'm sure you can live with that." I was silent for a few seconds.

"Do I bother you?" I asked, my fingers clenched in my lap.

"You distract me." Seven admitted, standing up.

"I won't talk to you." I said softly.

"That's not the point!" Seven slammed his hands on the table and I stared at him, surprised. He took a deep breath to compose himself, ran a hand through his hair and turned around. "I'm sorry Kao, I don't want you here." I was silent, my hands clenching and unclenching. If he didn't want me to stay here, that was okay. But the fact that he was so adamant about it was quite honestly, hurtful.

"I'm sorry." I muttered. "I was just curious."

"It's fine." He responded softly.

"Can I go now then?" I asked. His head tilted towards me slightly, and he hesitated before responding.

"Your cuts are treated so yeah." He said. I stood up, my ribs were still screaming in pain, I still hadn't told him about them. Anger was running through me. I shouldn't be mad at Seven for not wanting me to stay here. It was reasonable, I would be a distraction. But I couldn't help it. Anger and spite fueled me as I walked across the room, holding my side and biting my lip. Suddenly, my arm was yanked back and I glared at him. "What's wrong with your side?" He asked.

"Nothing." I snapped.

"That's a lie and you know it." He hissed.

"Nothing is wrong with it." I responded angrily. "Let go of my arm." He did so, and pushed me back lightly. Pain sparked through my chest and my vision flickered. I stumbled back and winced. Seven stared at me unblinkingly, his eyes narrowed, and then turned around while pointing to the couch. "Sit down." He ordered. I grit my teeth and slumped on the couch with a frown on my face. "You could have at least told me you hurt your ribs." He said, giving me stormy look.

"I didn't think it was a big deal." I responded. He sighed.

"How am I supposed to help you if you don't even tell me what's wrong?" He muttered. I stayed silent to that.

* * *

Half an hour later

"Yeah." Seven said into the phone. I looked away. "I can't help it, her ribs are seriously injured." Another pause. "No, she won't let me pay the bills." A twinge of guilt stabbed me but I stayed silent. "I have the stuff here that's why." Pause. "She wants to stay here. " He snapped, then he sighed. "Don't worry I won't." Seven put his phone on the counter, crossed his arms, and then looked at me. "He said you can stay here." I nodded.

"I'm sorry." I said softly. Seven sighed.

"Nothing can be done about it. You do need treatment." He walked to me and dropped my phone in my lap. I stared at it and put in my back pocket. "You should get some sleep, you can use my bedroom." He added, pointing to the hall at the back before he sat down in front of his computer. I stared at him, and got up slowly, shoving my hands in my pockets and walking down the hall. I had an uneasy feeling. He was acting so distant, but it was my fault of course. Why did I have to make such a big deal about staying here? I bit my lip and opened the door at the end of the hall. I suppose there was no reason to ask, I already knew why.

Surprisingly, Seven's room was neat and clean. As I stepped in, I let the door shut behind me softly. Bookshelves lined the walls, fulled of CD's, movies, and video games. A laptop sat on a white desk at the back of the room ( he had two computers). Sitting on the desk was the small miniature cat that Seven had bought during the Busan trip at the Museum.

"Hello." I said softly as I knelt down to stare at it's blue eyes. My eyes slid to the right. Next to it, was a robotic white cat whose blue eyes were dull and faded, it was bigger but just as cute. A smile tugged on my lips. I turned behind me, sat on the bed, and carefully lay on it while closing my eyes. So much had happened in the last few hours. I didn't know why that person had attacked me, but clearly, I would have to be more careful from now on. As would the other members. My eyes were like weights, and every movement I made was sluggish. I would think about it tomorrow.

I went to bed that night, tired and exhausted. I dreamed of a fire, burning my skin, and clogging my throat. I dreamt that I was crawling through the falling rubble, screaming for help. I dreamt that two unblinking mint blue eyes were staring at me.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Sorry for the short chapter. Just a small thing to add. I'm planning to update chapter status on my profile page, so if you're curious on how far I am with a chapter feel free to check it out. (Hopefully I will remember to update it…Hopefully.) Anyhow, the two are staying together now so yay XD. Follows, favorites, and reviews are already appreciated thanks!


	7. Wanting and Agony

Chapter 7- Wanting and Agony

Me- "Wow...that break in was pretty terrifying."

Kao- "You think that was scary?! I was the one who experienced it!"

Me- "I mean, I wrote it soooo-"

Kao- "Shush"

Yoosung- "Thank god Seven was there ;-;"

Kao- "Yeah…"

Jaehee Kang- "Why was Luciel there again?"

707- "I told you! I was tracking a member of the organization!"

Me- "Also, offscreen Seven told everyone that a whole organization was behind the hacking. Not just one person."

Jumin Han- "I want some wine."

Zen- "Wtf is wrong with you."

* * *

I woke up that morning with a groan and a sore back. Slowly, I rolled onto my side and opened my eyes. An unfamiliar room stared at me silently in response, the clock on the wall ticked softly. I frowned, and sat up, glancing around, and then the memories came flooding back. I pushed them away gingerly and stood up, walking over to the door, unlocking it, and then stepping into the hallway.

The smell of freshly cooked breakfast greeted me and my stomach instinctively growled in response. Seven stood next to the counter, as he fiddled with a pan of eggs.

"Need some help there Ramsey?" I asked.

"Shut up." He muttered, casting me a glance. I smiled and leaned against the counter, watching the pan.

"I can cook myself you know." I said finally. Seven raised an eyebrow.

"This is already your bed, might as well add the breakfast." He replied. I laughed, but my grin faded when I realized that he hadn't smiled once.

"Sorry again for imposing." I added quickly.

"Can't be helped." Seven responded, he walked over to the table without sparing me a glance. I felt a twinge of pain, but followed him anyhow. "How did you sleep?" He asked finally.

"Good." I lied as I grabbed a fork and played with the eggs.

"I wasn't able to move all of my stuff out, sorry." He added.

"It's okay." I responded. The room was embraced with silence, I swallowed nervously. Had it always been this awkward? Was he annoyed? Or just tired? Or maybe both, I bit my lip and decided to abandon the thought.

* * *

Breakfast ended silently and uneventfully. Seven said he was going out and left shortly after that. I watched the door shut and the house fell under complete silence. He was mad, there was no doubt now. I sighed bitterly, I shouldn't have imposed on him. I should have gone to Jumin's house, no questions asked, but I couldn't change that now, I had to make do with what I had.

After a few minutes of doing nothing and debating what I **could** do, I decided to clean up the house, and make myself useful. I had gotten a week off of work due to my condition. And at the moment, I didn't feel like talking to the others, although I knew that they were worried about me. So I rolled up my sleeves and began sorting through his stuff.

Seven's place was a mess. I did my best to respect his privacy, only cleaning out the kitchen and living room, and not wandering through any of the other areas of the house. I had piled the puddles of trash and wrappers into bags, throwing them out, and cramming unuseful things into cardboard boxes and pushing them to the side of the living room.

By the time I had finished cleaning the kitchen and living room I was out of breath. I threw the last trash bag into the garbage bin and slid down the wall. Slowly, I closed my eyes and heaved a sigh. I had forgotten how annoying it was to clean. My apartment was usually so spotless. I opened my eyes and looked around proudly before checking the time. 12:05. Seven had been gone for almost 3 hours. I slowly got up and decided to make myself lunch, eating it quickly before walking into my room and slamming the door shut behind me.

The light from outside shined into the room, illuminating the bed and allowing little white specs of dust to be seen.

"You're almost done, Kao." I told myself as I began to clean the room.

* * *

Within a half an hour the room had been wiped clean of dust and junk food wrappings. I was moving the last cardboard box before a small file fell onto the floor. I stared at it blankly before setting the box down and picking it up. On it, was a small label that read 'RFA' and below it, were the red letters 'Classified'. As if this couldn't get more conspicuous.

Carefully, I began to set the file in, before my hand stopped, and I peered at it closely. Classified. I bit my lip, it wouldn't hurt to take a peek would it? I debated with myself whether I should set it back in and be on my way, or take a quick look. I decided to take a peek. I was part of the RFA after all, I would probably know all of the information.

I opened the file slowly and observed the files. Inside, the first thing I saw was the face of a beautiful girl with long blonde hair. She had emerald eyes and a kind smile. My eyes lingered to the name below the picture. Rika. So this was her? The famous creator of RFA. A spark of jealousy embraced me as I read her file. Awards after awards were listed, she seemed to be a lovely person. Status: Deceased. I bit my lip, and flipped to the next page.

I didn't realize who it was at first. But after staring at the face for a bit, I realized it was a picture of Yoosung, or at least a younger version of him. His lavender eyes were wide and he was grinning. His hair was chocolate brown and not spiked in the least, but lay slicked on his forehead.

With the file in hand I made sure the door was locked tightly and then sat on the bed, sitting cross legged. I continued to read, forgetting about the 'quick peek' I told myself I would take.

Jumin's file was next. And then Zen, and Jaehee. I blinked when I came across my file. It was a picture of me, one that I did not know where Seven had got it from. I swallowed nervously and gingerly read the description. It went something like this.

Status: Alive.

Age: 22

Full Name: Kao Shin Lee

Gender: Female

Okay, all things I already knew. I skipped a few lines and went down to the description. Good student, bla bla. Working in finance bla, bla. My eyes skimmed the lines, not finding what I was looking for until I stumbled upon the word 'adopted.' Nervously, I swallowed and read the passage that followed carefully.

Adoptive parents: Jong Gu Lee and Juwon Juyn Lee. A tingle of warmth came over me when I read their names. My eyes widened when I finally found the information I needed.

Real parents:

My eyes quickly sped to what was next to it before I was embraced with disappointment. The names had been blacked out. My fingers fumbled over the paper, flipping it over to see that it had bled onto the back as well. Why had Seven inked this out? I frowned, frustrated and angry. Nothing else in the entire file had been touched.

Suddenly, I could hear the light jingle of keys in a lock and the sound of a door opening. Seven was home. I stared at the open file in my hands and panicked. Quickly, I fumbled over to the ground, beginning to stuff the file back in it's original place.

"Kao? Did you clean this all up?" Seven asked, muffled.

"One sec!" I shouted, pausing to decide to take pictures of the rest of the file. I did it quickly, before stuffing the file in and closing the box tightly. There was an impatient knock on the door.

"Kao? Are you there?"

"Yeah, coming!" I said quickly, grabbing the box and standing up. I wobbled over to the door and unlocked it with my other hand. Seven stood in front of the door, his bright yellow eyes staring at me in mild surprise. "I was just putting this away." I lied.

"Why was the door locked?" Seven asked, glancing at the room.

"Oh, I must have locked it on accident." I said with a nervous laugh, walking towards the living room and putting the box next to the others. Seven lingered behind me.

"I didn't ask you to clean my stuff." He remarked, almost angrily.

"I know, but I had to do something to thank you." I replied sheepishly. Seven looked away, then his eyes widened slightly and he looked at the boxes again.

"You didn't rummage through anything did you?"

"No." I lied, wiping my sweaty hands on my pants. He walked over to the boxes.

"There should have been some files, I need them." Seven demanded. I pointed to the box that I had just placed down. Seven picked it up, opening the top, closing it, and walking down the hall.

"Where did you go?" I called after him. Slowly, Seven turned to face me, his eyes were narrowed and his face was emotionless and cold. It scared me.

"Stop being nosy, please. Not only did I not ask you to clean my room, but what I did is none of your concern." Seven replied icely. He opened the door to his room, slamming it behind him and leaving the hallway in complete silence. A wave of hurt came over me as I stared at his door in silence. Slowly, I trudged to my room and slumped onto my bed. _That's what you get for being nosy._ I told myself.

"Shut up." I muttered, holding my legs. "I'm part of the organization, I have a right to read that stuff." I added shakily, guilt and anger were rushing through my blood like adrenaline. _You didn't have the right to read it._ I silenced the voice in my head and buried my head in my pillow, closing my eyes and willing myself to sleep.

* * *

Seven P.O.V

I felt a wave of regret as soon as I closed the door, and as I moved to open it again, I heard her footsteps towards her room and the sound of a door closing. My hand fell from the knob and I walked to my desk, letting the box of files land on the floor with a thud. Exhausted, I heaved a sigh and sat in my chair, leaning back and putting my arm over my eyes. Had that been too much? Too little? Would she hate me?

I let my arm fall from my face and hang limply at my side. That would be for the best. After all, it was what I was aiming for in the first place, I had just put it off for too long. I had gotten too attached. Kao would back off now, and the further away she was, the better. But it didn't feel right, at all. I felt dead, emotionless, like I had lost something precious to me. Not that the feeling was new to me.

My eyes slid to the cardboard box that sat (half bent) on the floor. I rummaged through it, pulling out a single file with the red stamp 'Confidential' on it's surface. I had almost forgotten it, how stupid. I stared at it silently and then opened it, grimacing when I saw the past before my eyes. With grit teeth, I tore up the papers savagely, letting my anger rip into the helpless sheets. I watched the shreds of my past slowly drift towards the ground.

I let the empty folder drop onto the floor lifelessly and slumped onto the ground, letting my head hit the floor and closing my eyes. I didn't want to do this anymore, I didn't want to push anyone else away. I was tired of being alone, sick of it. My fingers crumbled around a shred of paper on the ground. People who came near me just got hurt, and I had to push them away. I had done this over and over again, but Kao had opened a wound that had been poorly sealed years ago. Something warm and wet fell from my eye and I blinked in surprise, letting my fingers brush my face. Tears? My jaw twitched and I rubbed my eyes. I was too old for this.

"Grow up." I muttered quietly, letting myself fall asleep.

When I awoke, the room was silent, I willed myself to open my eyes. I could feel the dried tears on my face. Softly, someone's fingers brushed my hair and my fingers twitched. My eyes flickered open and I snatched the wrist that was hovering over my face. Kao stared at me, her eyes wide as I released her arm quickly.

"What are you doing in here." I murmured, still half asleep. Was this a dream? Why was Kao in here?

"I wanted to check up on you." She responded quietly. Check up on me? Something stirred within me.

"I'm fine, you should leave." The words came out of my mouth, poisonous.

"I don't want to." Kao responded. My eyes lowered in response, and the room became quiet. Her body was covered in shadows, though the small beam of moonlight illuminated the faces of both of us. I stared at her and she peered back. This was dangerous.

"Get out." I said finally. Kao's expression changed slightly.

"Why are you acting like this?" She asked sadly, almost a whisper. My hands wrapped over her arms and I pushed her to the ground angrily. Kao's expression was a mask, I could see she was struggling to keep it free of emotions. I opened my mouth to respond, but with a start, I realized that this was almost the same position we had been in on the boat. When I had kissed her cheek. Loneliness and longing flooded through me and I stared at her lips silently. Kao followed my gaze, taking in a breath and flushing slightly. I was tired of the agony of being alone all the time. Of wanting someone I couldn't have.

I didn't even realize what I was doing before my lips crashed into hers and she gasped, her arms wrapping around my neck as my fingers curled in her hair. I had wanted to do this for so long, and as her lips moved against my own I had a feeling she felt the same. Breaking away, I cupped her face and let the fingers of my other hand trace over her lips softly. Kao's face was flushed and her lips were red, she stared at me in love and agony and my eyes widened in realization.

My hands fell from her face and she blinked. Panicked, I got up and tore open the door storming down the hallway.

"Seven wait!" Her panicked voice reached my ears and I swore, reaching the door that led outside and swinging it open. Kao called my name again but I ignored it, my mind was swirling with satisfaction, agony and regret. Quickly, I opened the door to my car, getting in and turning the key. Kao emerged from the corner of my eye, but I slammed my foot down on the pedal, the road around me becoming a blur from the tears and the speed as I ran away. Like I always did.

* * *

Note: Sorry for the short chapter, I've been pretty busy lately so I wanted to finish this up. I don't know when the next post will be but I will definitely finish this series! Eventually... Anyhow, thanks for reading everyone! Please favorite, follow, and leave a review!


	8. V

Chapter 8- V

Me- "Oh boy.."

Zen- "Seven just messes everything up. I knew Kao shouldn't have stayed with him!"

Seven- "Shut up!"

Kao- "..."

Jaehee Kang- "This is becoming a bit like a soap opera isn't it?"

Jumin Han- "How entertaining."

Kao- "Not helpful!"

Me- "I wonder what will happen~"

Seven- "Only you would know..."

Yoosung- "Oh cruel writer! What will happen to us?"

Me- " :)"

* * *

Jaehee P.O.V

The living room burst into laughter and I shook my head, trying to keep my composure. A smile made it on my face anyhow.

"They're probably making out right now." Yoosung chirped, trying to snatch the wine bottle from Zen who was holding it high up above his head.

"Shut up, Kao is smarter than that." Zen replied.

"She is?" Jumin asked sarcastically, taking a sip.

"If I were her, I would lock myself in my room until I were better." Zen remarked, ignoring Jumin's comment as he pushed back his hair.

"I don't think Seven would actually kiss her." I said.

"Oh yes he would!" Zen replied adamantly. "Haven't you seen the way he looks at her?" The room was silent.

"Looks?" Yoosung asked, finally giving up on the wine bottle. Zen nodded. "I didn't know he looked a particular way when he was with her. Is it his clothes?" Yoosung asked. The whole room almost smacked their foreheads.

"No, looks **at** her." Jumin corrected coldly.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh." Replied Yoosung. "So he actually likes her then?" He asked.  
"I'm pretty sure." Zen said with a nod. Jumin, sitting in the corner of the couch made a face, but he stayed silent.

"The question is if Kao likes him then." Yoosung said excitedly, looking back and forth between each of the members. I was silent, my fingers clutching the wine glass tightly. She **did** like him.

"Jaehee?" I jumped slightly at my name and glanced at Jumin. "Do you know? You two are quite close." He asked.

"She never told me." I responded. That was Kao's secret, I wasn't going to tell the rest until I knew she was okay with it. Jumin stared at me for a bit, but nodded and looked away. Yoosung chuckled, putting his hands behind his head.

"I can't wait to attend their wedding." He said with a grin.

"Oh be quiet" Zen replied. Yoosung angrily threw a pillow at Zen who caught it with his hand. "You throw like a girl." Zen added with a smirk.

"SHUT UP!" Yoosung screamed. Zen and I broke out into into laughter, Jumin had a slight smile on his face. "I was going easy on you because you were drinking!" Yoosung added vigorously.

"Like you throwing it harder would have made a difference." Replied Zen cooly. The two began to bicker before a sharp ping rang throughout the apartment. Zen and Yoosung stopped their argument abruptly and we all glanced at the door.

"I'll get it." Jumin said, standing up and walking towards the door, opening it calmly.

Kao stood in the doorway, her hair was tangled and her face was flushed. Her eyes were dark and seemed to be full of sorrow. We all stared at her in surprised silence.

"Kao, what are you doing here? Weren't you staying at Seven's?" Zen called out. Kao nodded slowly and walked in, Jumin shut the door behind her.

As soon as she walked in I knew something had gone wrong. There was an atmosphere about her in which you could tell she had lost all hope.

"Kao, are you okay?" I asked, getting up to help her. Kao was unresponsive and miserable, she merely shook her head, sitting on the couch with lowered eyes. "What happened?" I questioned, sitting besides her.

"Seven." She said softly. The room was silent before bursting into excitement.

"I knew he'd try something!" Zen snapped.

"Wait, good or bad?!" Yoosung asked dramatically, standing up. I yanked on his sleeve to pull him down and cast him an ushering look.

"Can we have some privacy please?" I snapped.

"Yes, please. This chatter is too much." Jumin added, crossing his arms and waiting for the others to exit.

"You too Mr. Han." I said as politely as I could. Jumin frowned but turned around and walked out of the room with a sigh. Zen and Yoosung cast worrisome glances at Kao but trailed behind him, shutting the door. Then I turned to her. "What happened?"

* * *

Kao's P.O.V

Words flew out of my mouth faster than I could keep track of them. Emotions flooded my mind and memories. When I had finished telling Jaehee what had happened I was breathless, tired, and thirsty. Jaehee was silent. I didn't know if she was surprised or unsure what to say. Probably both.

"Did you try calling him?" She asked finally. I nodded. Jaehee shook her head, taking off her glasses and massaging her forehead. "That's so strange. Seven's never done anything like that before. We should tell the others." I couldn't help from wincing. Jaehee caught it and gave me a sympathetic glance. "You weren't planning to keep it from them were you?"

"No." I lied. This conversation seemed familiar somehow.

"Good, Seven is precious to all of us. You would have had no right to keep from them that-" She paused. "That he's now missing." She finished. Her words stung, but she was right. I was ashamed for thinking of it.

"I hope he's okay." I muttered.

"Seven can take care of himself." Jaehee replied, patting me on the shoulder. "I'm sure he'll be fine, don't worry." But I was worrying. I had enveloped myself in a cocoon of self pity and sadness and most of my worry was admittedly focused on myself. I took a deep breath and slapped my cheeks forcefully. I had to stop. Jaehee was staring at me worriedly. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'll be fine." I replied. "I just want to find Seven."

"Seven has disappeared before, days on end sometimes." Jaehee said. "But in the emotional state he left in, I'm afraid he won't be back for a long time. That would be bad for all of us, especially considering the party is coming up soon." I nodded bitterly. And it was my fault. No, no, stop. No more self blame and pity. I thought quickly, blinking when Jaehee stood up. "I'm going to tell the others. Kao, you should get something to eat and drink. You look exhausted." She said before hurrying outside of the room. I heard muffled voices through the door a few seconds later. I didn't feel hungry, though I was quite thirsty.

I had devoured at least 5 sandwiches before Jumin, Jaehee, Zen, and Yoosung opened the door and hurried into the room.

"I'll contact V." Jumin finished.

"I'll go to Seven's house quick, see if there's anything I should pick up." Zen added.

"Good, I'll take over his work with the party." Jaehee said, coming over to me, her voice soft. "We're going to go for a bit, you have your stuff right?" I nodded, not knowing what else to say. "Yoosung will be here so you won't be alone."

"Kao, don't leave the house alright?" Zen called out, opening the door and shutting it behind him.

"Can't I help?" I asked.

"Perhaps later, right now it would help most if you just stayed here." Jaehee replied quickly.

"He's not picking up." Jumin said across the room.

"Call again?" Zen suggested.

"I've called twice now." Jumin replied angrily his phone to his ear.

"We can notify him later then." Jaehee said as she grabbed her purse and made her way to the door. "Please get some sleep Kao" She finished with a smile, closing the door behind her after Jumin followed her through the doorframe.

The apartment was enveloped in silence, I glanced at Yoosung who disappeared upstairs to retrieve something. Slowly, I let the half eaten sandwich I was holding fall onto the plate. I felt so useless. Was there really nothing I could do? Was there information I knew that the others didn't? Information that could help me find Seven? I sighed miserably, racking my brain.

And then it struck me. The files. Maybe they had his birthplace or something? Seven could have retreated back there, for a breath of fresh air. And I was sure he hadn't mentioned it to someone else. It was a stupid idea, but it was better than nothing, and my fingers were itching to do anything to help. I got out my phone, thankful I had taken pictures of the files.

Quickly and efficiently I scanned through the pictures before I felt a wave of dread. Seven's file was missing. I rechecked but it was gone. Or it was never there in the first place.

Had I missed taking a picture of it? Or was it not in the file at all? That was strange, everyone's file information had been in it. Even V's. I slumped back into my chair, defeated. There went my last straw of hope.

With a miserable sigh I decided to read through the files I had missed. I had left out two pages of the file before Seven had come home and I had to stop. V's was one of them. His picture was surprising. I wouldn't have recognized him if it hadn't been for his iconic hair. It was a young man with bright blue eyes and hair. He wore a charming smile, with his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose. Real Name: Jihyun Kim. Address: -

My eyes widened.

* * *

It took everything I had to work up the courage to lie to Yoosung. Saying that I wanted to go out to get groceries, which, no wasn't what I really was planning to do. But it's not like he would let me go to V's house. If they couldn't contact them and they were too busy to visit him, I would tell V myself. He had mentioned not being on a business trip for the last couple of weeks before the party as well, so he had to be nearby.

"Absolutely not." Yoosung said, hands on his hips. I blinked.

"Why not?"

"We have plenty of food here!" He responded adamantly.

"It's not the food I like!" I lied. I had peeked in the fridge. Jumin didn't screw around with his food.

"Then I'll go get some for you." Yoosung said.

"You won't know what I want." I replied, frustrated. I knew that Yoosung was just doing his job, but I needed to do mine as well. Yoosung groaned.

"Fine, we'll go together."

"What? No!" I blurted. Yoosung frowned.

"How else am I supposed to keep track of you?"

"I don't need to be babysitted." I snapped. "I'm 22 years old, I'm hungry, and I just want to go shopping. I'll be back soon."

"You were eating sandwiches a few minutes ago!"

"I don't like them!" I lied again. Yoosung sighed and scratched his head.

"I can't just let you leave. Keeping you here is the only thing I can do right now." He muttered. I bit my lip, anger washed over me but I silenced it. If I was going to do this, I had to compromise.

"Sorry." I said softly.

"Huh?" He asked in surprise.

"I wasn't thinking about the position you were in." I said finally. "Tell you what, lets just go together. Yoosung blinked in surprise, and then nodded. I could tell he was surprised at my easy surrender. Grabbing a spare key off of a drawer, we hurried out of Jumin's apartment.

We got into my car (which a bodyguard had delivered here since I had gotten here by bus) and drove away to my destination.

* * *

Sometime later.

"Kao, this is nowhere near a grocery store." Yoosung snapped, eyeing me wearily. I looked up from the small sheet of paper with V's address on it and shoved it in my pocket.

"It's not a very popular place. You've probably never been there" I said, exasperated. I had never lied this much in one sitting in years. Especially not to a friend. Then Yoosung's eyes widened as he observed the road around him and he spun in his seat to face me.

"You aren't going to a grocery store! This is the way to V's house!" He snapped. "How did you even know where it was?"

"There's a grocery store here!" I defended.

"Don't play dumb!" Yoosung yelled. "You lied to me! Pull over!"

"No." I said coldly, my hands holding the wheel firmly. "This is something I want to do."

"Jumin, Jaehee, and Zen have the issue under control!" Yoosung demanded.

"I want to help!" I yelled, my eyes staring at the road furiously. "Seven disappearing is my fault! I'm the one who pushed him. I'm the one who snuck into his room! I'm the one who wanted to stay with him! You don't understand!" I took a deep shuddering breath. "I can't just sit around and do nothing!" I finished.

The car was enveloped in silence, except for the low hum of the engine and the sound of the night life around us. Yoosung stared out of the window without replying. I could tell he was struggling with himself.

"I understand the want to help." He said finally, looking away from the window. "I always feel it. With everything! Even the party. I can't do anything. To help find Seven I have no redeeming skills, they don't trust me enough with the tasks. And what do I do? I stay behind. I always do!" His voice was rising. "Jumin has his money, Seven has his smarts, Jaehee is the most organized person I've met, Zen is famous and gives us publicity and you hold the whole organization together!" He yelled, and then his voice softened considerably. "Like Rika."

"Yoosung-" I began.

"I'm useless. All I do is play LOLOL because that's the only place where I can be the person I want to be. A hero. I can't offer anything to the group because I don't have anything. The only reason I'm even in it is because I was Rika's cousin. And now even she's gone." Yoosung finished. His voice was dripping in sorrow.

"That's not true." I said as I reached for his hand but he pulled his away.

"Yes it is. So don't tell me that I don't know about feeling useless." He said bitterly. "Because I know that feeling all too well."

I searched for something to say but I couldn't find a thing. Yoosung had felt this for much longer than I had. And he had kept it inside all this time.

"I'm sorry." I said lamely. Yoosung was silent. He was didn't speak for the rest of the drive.

* * *

Later

When we arrived at V's apartment I pulled up next to it, parking the car. I got out, stretching and shut the door behind me. Yoosung stayed put as he stared emotionlessly at the dashboard. I had the feel he was in no mood to talk to V. My eyes lingered on him, wanting to apologize again but I looked away.

I hurried into the apartment and made it to his room, paper in hand. I raised my hand to knock before I heard muffled voices.

"Did you get notice from Saeran?" I could barely make one out. There was a muffled response. I debated my choices and decided to listen a little more. I had come to terms with the fact that I was a nosy piece of shit.

"...not…busy….really to...Mint Eye" I pressed my ear into the door. Mint Eye? What was that?

"V...Luciel disappeared...trouble.." My eyes widened.

"...meeting tomorrow.." There was more barely audible voices and the sounds of footsteps coming towards the door. I didn't know who this Mint Eye was, but I had a morbid feeling in my gut and I didn't want to stick around. I blinked, my mind slowly working and then spun around, looking for a hiding spot. I made a mad dash for a small cleaning closet that was open by a crack, reaching to close it before I saw the door to V's room open. Two grown men stepped out in suits. I peered out of the crack with one eye, tracking their every movement. Then I saw V step out and exchange a few words with them. He nodded and then went back in, shutting the door. The two men turned around, walking towards me. I panicked, stilling my breathing.

But the men didn't spare me a glance. I examined their faces as best as I could before they disappeared out of my view. I sat in the darkness for a little, breathing slowly. Mint eye? Luciel? Why did they know Seven's real name? Who was Saeran? My mind was whirling and for a little, I couldn't sit up. I didn't know what I getting into.

I debated asking V where Seven was, but I had the feeling he wouldn't tell me anything. Numbly, I opened the closet, looked left and right, and then rushed down the hall. I reached Yoosung in a matter of minutes, getting in and driving away from the apartment as fast as I could. Yoosung spared me a curious glance but he didn't say anything. He had probably just assumed it hadn't gone well. He was right. It hadn't.

* * *

We arrived at Jumin's apartment late in the evening. I shut the door and hurried inside, Yoosung trailed behind me. Luckily, Jumin, Jaehee and Zen hadn't returned yet. I held Yoosung back before he could move upstairs.

"When they get back, please don't tell them we went to V's." I pleaded. His head moved towards me but he brushed me off and continued to walk away. My chest tightened as he moved upstairs. I uttered a soft apology and moved to the guest room. I would to fix things with him, but for now I wanted to know more about what I had overheard.

I closed my door and got out my phone, looking up 'Mint Eye'. Not surprisingly, the results weren't helpful. I slumped back on my bed and stared at the ceiling. I had to think. I was missing something important that would connect this all together. Rolling on my side, I tried contemplating the events that had happened in the last few days. Then I blinked. No, I would go back to the beginning. The day I met the others.

First, someone had contacted me to find the owner of a phone. Unknown. It felt like it had happened ages ago. I went to the house of the owner and was thrown into the chatroom. Days later that same Unknown had hacked the system and sent a cryptic message that had put everyone on edge. What was it again? I squinted, trying to remember. 'Welcome to paradise.' He had said.

I brought up notes on my phone and typed the message quick. After that someone had broken into my apartment. I shivered at the memory. I still didn't know what they wanted. Then Seven had saved me, he had treated me, and said that he had been tracking a member of an organization. And then I found the files. And then I overheard V talking to strangers about a 'Mint Eye'. I bit my lip.

What if Mint Eye was the same organization that Seven had been tracking? And what if Unknown was part of Mint Eye? The same organization that sent the message. I had no proof of this, only my gut feeling. But that wouldn't make sense. Why would they want me to be part of RFA? There would be nothing to gain from it. And why would V be involved with that? A weight dropped in my stomach. But what if he was? What if V had ordered my abduction? When I had entered the chat room he was the one who wanted me to join in the first place, if I remembered correctly.

I shook my head and cast the thought away. There was no way. Only a few days ago V had gone with us to dinner. There was no way he had an ulterior motive. And then I remembered my dream that I had after the attempted abduction. A burning fire with blue eyes staring at me. Quickly, I brought up V's picture from the files, almost dropping my phone. It was the same piercing mint eyes.

The sound of a key turning and door opening woke me from my trance and I sat up abruptly.

"Kao?" Jaehee's voice called out.

"I'm here." I said, my voice shaking. I could hear footsteps before Jaehee knocked on my door.

"Can I come in?" She asked, muffled.

"Yes." I responded. Jaehee opened the door a little and peeked inside. She saw my face and walked further inside.

"Are you okay? You're as pale as a ghost." She sat on my bed and I bit my lip.

"Yes." I replied. Jaehee stared at me with concern, putting her arm around me.

"Don't worry Kao, we'll find him." She said softly. I nodded slowly.

I didn't know what I was getting into. But something dark was going on, and I had finally realized it. I was unsure if I had failed to notice it because I had been so busy, or because I had forgotten about it. But I knew that I would uncover what was happening. Not just for me but for Seven as well.

* * *

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ! (Please follow and leave a review! I really love the reviews some people have posted and it's really helpful reading them. Please feel free to leave more \o/)

Okay, so a couple of things. Vacation! Again! Maybe. A decent amount of people liked the Busan trip so I was thinking another one like that would be nice as a treat. I don't know when I will be able to fit it in, it could be the next chapter, or at the very end of the fic, but I'm hoping I'll be able to include another vacation with all of the RFA members.

So **if** I'm able to fit one in, I'd like to leave the decision of where it will be to readers. Feel free to message me if you want a particular place to be chosen (like London or something) and if the majority is in that area I'll make that the location of the next vacation. If there's not a majority, then I'll go along with the idea I already have in mind. Readers can pick 3 cities they'd like it to take place in, in the order of the one they want first. I'll wait a week or two for the votes to come in, and then I'll "close the polls" and go along with the majority (if there is one). You don't have to participate, but it would be nice to get some ideas. It doesn't have to be in Korea! It can be anywhere! Just as long as it's in Earth…cause u know, Jumin's got the monz.

Example: (Venice being your most prefered and Paris being ur least)

Venice

New York

Paris


	9. The Investigation

Chapter 9: The Investigation

Me- "Things are picking up!"

V- "Hmmm"

Seven- "Woah! V is here!"

Jaehee- "This is a pleasant surprise."

Jumin- "Nice to see you again."

Zen- "What's up V?"

V- "Someone's being nosy."

Kao- "..."

Zen- "Huh…?"

* * *

I went to bed that night, lying awake and unable to sleep. It seemed that the more I thought about the events that had happened, the more I couldn't wrap my head around it. I could hear the worried voices of Jaehee, Jumin, and Zen just outside my door, and it certainly didn't help either. I rolled onto my side and stared at the wall. I was missing something. Something that would connect everything together.

The pain of Seven's disappearance was becoming more and more apparent as well. My mind would wander to him in the middle of my thoughts, and I couldn't concentrate. What if it was all a hoax to get Seven to disappear? What if they had planned it from the beginning? Breaking in, Seven saving me, and then me upsetting him. There was no way. I rolled onto my back and heaved a sigh. What if he was hurt right now? What if-

I buried my head in my pillow and squeezed my eyes shut. Only a few days ago, I had no doubts about anything. But now I was doubting people with no evidence but my gut feeling. On a whim, I made up my mind. I would investigate. No accusing people without proof. And I needed privacy, Jaehee and the others were treating me like a dog on a leash. Almost everyone would be gone for work tomorrow, but Yoosung had no school and was staying behind to look after me. And I didn't want him peering over my shoulder. Then I looked up and blinked. There was only one place where I could go that was private. And they couldn't complain about it.

The next day I walked down the hall, determined. It was my first day back at work since the break in. It had been a bit of an argument but I had convinced the others to let me go. I rubbed my shoulder and sat down in my seat, taking in the familiar surroundings. It's strange. When your life changes and you come back to a place that was part of your normal lifestyle, you get an abnormal feeling. Almost dreamlike. At least, that's how it is for me. I put my fingers on the keys, familiarity washed over me.

"Kao, you're back?" A voice asked. I turned to face Jeong who had a quirky smile on his lips. I blinked. Admittedly I had almost forgotten about him.

"Hey Jeong." I said quickly.

"Where have you been?" He asked, almost worried. I laughed uneasily. I hadn't thought up an excuse. And I most certainly wasn't going to tell him someone had broken in my apartment.

"My uh-" I paused to gather my thoughts. "Grandma died so I took some days off work." I finished.

"Sorry to hear about that." Jeong replied sympathetically. I said it was fine and then looked back at my computer screen.

After searching in the depths of the internet I finally found something of interest. 'Several guests attacked and robbed after attending fundraiser.' It was the headline of an article. I clicked on it and scanned the contents.

It had been one of the first fundraisers. Several guests who had attended it had been robbed and assaulted afterwards. The attackers were never found. It was taken up by one of the victims and reported to the police, but there was never enough evidence to connect it to RFA. Eventually It was deemed pure coincidence, and snuck away in a dark corner.

I stared at it. No one in RFA had ever mentioned this. Not even Jaehee who had become my close friend. I knew that RFA hadn't done it, they couldn't have. But it should have been mentioned it, right? Maybe they didn't want to scare me away. But I was a large part of it now, I had a right to know.

My gut feeling was that somehow Mint Eye was involved. But once again, I had no proof. I bit my lip. RFA was created to raise money. If an organization was stealing from our donors specifically, there had to have a reason for it. Why? Surely there were better targets. Those who donated were certainly wealthy, but was that enough to make them targets? Just the fact that the attackers didn't bother to be more secretive about the targets meant they didn't care.

Or they were framing us. But why frame us specifically? Annoyed, I kicked the desk lightly and leaned back in my chair. Think Kao. Think. I squeezed my eyes shut. It just didn't make sense. How could Mint Eye rob our donors? Their bank accounts were much too secure to hack into without some kind of information. Unless… My eyes snapped open. There was no way. I stood up abruptly, grabbing my bag and logging off.

"Can you tell Mr. Loung that I'm leaving early?" I asked Jeong. He nodded, surprised, and I hurried down the hall. There was no other explanation I could think of. But there was no way. Was there? Under all of our noses? I bit my lip. I had to have proof first.

* * *

I drove back to Jumin's apartment as fast as I could. As soon as I burst through the door, I found Yoosung on the computer.

"Yoosung." I said, breathless.

"What?" He asked, mildly annoyed.

"When people donate to us at fundraisers. Do they give us their banking information?" I asked. Yoosung turned to look at me.

"Why?"

"Just tell me." I responded. He frowned.

"Of course they do. Lots of the small donors give us checks but the large donors give us more of their banking information because they don't want to carry checks with that much money around." Yoosung explained after hesitating. "Of course we can't open the accounts ourselves." He added quickly. I nodded.

"And if someone had that information, could they hack into the account?" I asked. Yoosung blinked.

"It's nearly impossible. They'd have to do a damn good job." Then he frowned. "Why do you want to know?"

"I was just thinking about how our fundraisers work, it's not safe for the donors." I stuttered, thinking up an excuse on the spot.

"It's perfectly safe. We guard that information with our lives. That's exactly why RFA is so small and reserved, and why we don't let new people in it easily. No one can access that information. Besides, like I said, you'd need to be an amazing hacker to do that." Yoosung said. I nodded.

"I suppose you're right." I lied. "Thanks." I added. Yoosung blinked and shook his head, turning back to his game. I began to leave, and then glanced at his back.

"Yoosung. I'm sorry about yesterday." I said softly. He stiffened. "I wasn't thinking." I admitted.

"Don't worry about it." Yoosung replied. His voice, though not cold, wasn't warm either. My gaze lingered on him but I hurried back to my room and shut the door.

The large donors gave their banking information to RFA so they could donate large sums of money. RFA kept this information extremely confidential so no one outside of our association could see it. But if someone inside RFA could transfer the information to another, Mint Eye for example, it would allow Mint Eye to hack their accounts. If they were good enough. That inside person would be V, could be. Was he transferring the bank information to Mint Eye? And then they hacked the accounts? I bit my lip.

Then the fundraisers were nothing more than a cover. A way to lure people in and steal from them. A chill swept over my skin. Mint Eye had hacked their way past Seven's algorithm. And I knew Seven was a prodigy. They were surely skilled enough to hack into a bank account if they had enough information.

I put my head in my hands and took a deep sigh. This was too much. Surely the others didn't know. Should I tell them? Immediately I scolded myself. If this was true, V was dangerous. I couldn't tell anyone. Not yet. Not until I had proof. Real physical evidence.

I had to prove not only that Mint Eye was behind the attacks but V was part of it. I slumped on my bed. I wish I had recorded V's conversation with the two men yesterday. That would have been some proof. But right now, I couldn't do this alone. Not only was it too much but it was dangerous as well. Was I supposed to just forget it happened and continue how I was living? The silence of the room crept into my thoughts. No. I couldn't, I had gone too far for that. I couldn't live normally with these doubts. I had decided I would figure out what corruption was going on and I would. But where would I find the evidence?

I took a deep breath. I had to get my bearings. I walked over to the desk in the corner of the room, rummaging for something to write on. I found a notebook in one of the drawers and a pencil. First of all, I had to prove that V was even part of Mint Eye. Sure I had overheard the conversation, but I needed physical proof. Second, I had to prove that Mint Eye was behind the attacks of the donors. Those were the priorities.

I scribbled these plans on the paper and held them out before me. Now, how was I to go about these things? I bit my lip. Was I going to spy on V? No, that was too dangerous. I sat down on the chair and buried my head in my arms. Could I really do this alone? Did I want to go through this? A sudden loneliness struck me. Already there was a wall between the other members and myself. Being suspicious of V separated me from those who trusted him. And just as I was getting to know them too. My hands formed fists.

I wanted to see Seven again. His adorable grin, his golden eyes. If anyone could be by my side, I would want it to be him. With his comforting voice, the way his eyes softened when he smiled. My eyes fluttered shut, heavy with exhaustion. Did Seven know about V's true nature? Would revealing the truth get Seven back? What was he doing right now? Was he hurt? Questions buzzed in my head, slowly being silenced by the dark clutches of sleep.

* * *

Seven's P.O.V ( A day earlier)

"Thanks." I muttered, grabbing the motel key as I lumbered away from the front desk. Normally I would just sleep in my car to avoid being tracked, but I didn't give a crap. I was tired, emotionally wrecked, and I just wanted a soft bed to sleep in. Slowly, I climbed the stairs, my vision fading in and out from exhaustion. As soon as I locked the door behind me, I slumped on the bed, my eyes closing as I lumbered into a dark sleep.

Kao sat in front of me. We were in my room, the darkness casting shadows over our faces. The small stream of moonlight was a spotlight. My fingers trailed across her chin and I leaned in to kiss her before her hands pushed my chest back.

"What are you doing?" She asked shakily. I stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

"If you kiss me, I'll be in danger." Kao responded softly. My eyes widened. "You want me to be hurt?" She asked, looking up at me. I flinched and leaned away from her.

"No. Of course not." I replied coldly.

"Then why do you keep wanting to be with me?" She asked. I blinked.

"I don't." I said quickly. She shook her head and stood up, reaching for the door. I stood up as well, my arms wrapping around her waist as I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Don't leave." I muttered. But when I opened my eyes, she was gone.

I woke up to the loud sound of a horn as I sat up abruptly and looked out the window of the motel. Two people were screaming at each other in front of a car with it's back slightly smashed in. I sighed, glancing at the digital clock that sat on the dresser. 6:07.

After taking a quick shower and changing I walked out of the door, suitcases in hand. A bit of me wanted to just drive home, to return to my soft bed. But I couldn't. Not yet. I couldn't face Kao, or any of the others. I made my way to the parking lot, putting my luggage in the trunk. Getting inside, I slammed the car door shut, getting my phone out when I heard a ping.

Vanderwood: "Where are you."

With grit teeth, I threw my phone on the opposite seat and started the car.

Vanderwood: "Luciel, respond at this instant."

Vanderwood: "Luciel."

Vanderwood: "I swear to god."

Vanderwood: "I've been trying to get a hold of you for ages"

Vanderwood: "PICK UP THE DAMN PHONE"

Annoyed, I responded quickly.

707: "What."

Vanderwood: "Finally. Where are you? What are you doing? You've been ignoring my messages. You're way behind on work."

707: "I don't care"

Vanderwood: "The boss will be-"

Vanderwood: "What? You don't care? Are you shitting me?"

707: Don't contact me for the next few days.

Vanderwood: "You have GOT to be kidding me. Luciel-"

I silenced my phone, throwing it on the seat and slamming my foot on the pedal. Within a matter of minutes, the motel disappeared from my sight. There was something I had to accomplish before I could face her again. _Mint Eye._ The name of the cryptic organization suddenly appeared in my mind and my grip on the wheel tightened. I would destroy it myself. I didn't care that I might die. That it was essentially a suicide mission. I felt broken, and lost. And doing this was the only way I could redeem myself and help her.

Two hours later

Trees flew past me as I drove up the winding hill. My eyes darted to my phone, and the pulsing signal that indicated the location of Mint Eye. I would be there in a few hours. My gaze moved back to the road, I was almost up the hill. Suddenly, the engine sputtered and my speed slowed. I blinked, panicking briefly and spinning the wheel to the left. The car turned and crashed through a fence, driving through the underbrush.

"Shit SHIT SHIT." I yelled, slamming the brakes down repeatedly. But the car kept going, throwing me forward as it rammed into a tree.

When I opened my eyes, a large airbag sat in front of me and a tree branch was sticking through the window. My head was buzzing from shock as I carefully got out of the car, slamming it shut in frustration. The front was completely busted. I was going to have to walk the rest of the way.

After grabbing a few supplies and my phone, I got off the road and made my way through the underbrush, wanting to avoid being seen. Trees towered over me, casting shadows on the floor. Slits of sunlight made it past the wall of leaves, leaving small spotlights on the ground. Around me, birds chirped happily. I checked my phone, the pulsing signal was still a ways away. I grit my teeth, walking into the forest.

* * *

Kao P.O.V

"Wake up sleepy head. C'mon." Someone tapped my shoulder, slowly I began to wake up, rubbing my eyes. "I can't believe you slept here." I raised my head and blinked, surprised to see Yoosung staring at me, slightly annoyed.

"Good morning." I slurred, collecting the countless sheets of paper and flipping them over.

"What's all this?" He asked, staring at them.

"Research.." I mumbled, still half asleep. Yoosung nodded slowly, still doubtful.

"Anyways, you should take a shower. Jaehee and the others wanted you to prepare for the party." I blinked slowly, realization hitting me. THE FUNDRAISING PARTY! I had completely forgotten! Groaning, I let my forehead hit the desk lightly.

"You forgot, didn't you?" He asked.

"Yes." I muttered. "We're doing it without Seven?" I asked, looking back up at him. A flash of pain flickered across his face, but he simply nodded.

"We've been holding it off. But we have to do it eventually."

"I see." I replied. My chest tightened.

"We're not giving up." Yoosung said quickly, reading my mind. "We just have to continue with our lives while we're searching for Seven. It's what he would want." He finished. I nodded. Yoosung turned to leave but I stopped him.

"Thanks."

"For what?" He asked.

"For speaking to me again." I said with a smile. He blinked, and then smiled.

"No problem."

Several hours later

"GERONIMO!" I yelled, jumping off of the diving board as the water embraced my skin. Slowly, I opened my eyes. Bubbles surrounded me like a cocoon as I broke the surface. Jaehee waved me over and we watched as Yoosung did a cannonball.

Currently, we were relaxing at Jumin's indoor pool. Jumin sat in the corner, reading a magazine, and Zen was at work. Jaehee, Yoosung, and I were taking the time to relax after a day of party business. Slowly, I floated on the water, closing my eyes.

"This is nice." I heard Jaehee say.

"Yeah."

"Everything has been so hectic with Seven gone." She said. I nodded, having time to submerge myself completely before swimming upwards.

"Jaehee."

"Yes?" She asked.

"Do you remember the incidents with the donors? Around two years ago?" I questioned. Her face darkened.

"How do you know about those?" I simply shrugged.

"Isn't it natural for me to get to know more about RFA?" I inquired. She sighed lightly.

"Yes I remember. It was rough for us since it was one of the first fundraisers. V had to

work hard to get the police off our backs." My eyes narrowed.

"And how did he do that?" I asked.

"Just showed them the truth. Camera footage, confidentiality. During this time, Rika was

so shocked by the incident, the only one who did something about it was V." Jaehee said sadly. I nodded slowly, taking note of her every word.

"Anyone I could talk with to learn more about it?" I asked innocently. Jaehee glanced at me briefly, and then she bit her lip.

"Any of the victims I suppose. You could try talking to J." Jaehee replied.

"Who?" I questioned.

"J. He was one of the donors who was attacked. He's been living quietly ever since. I don't know what happened to the others."

"Do you know his full name?"

"No, but I know his address." Jaehee swam over to the edge, pulling herself up. I followed closely behind her. She grabbed her notepad, flipping through it.

"I keep several contacts listed in here," She stopped on a page. "Here." She tore it out, handing it to me. The page was damp where she touched it.

"Thanks." I said. Jaehee nodded. I was about to turn before she caught my arm.

"I know it's only natural to be curious about what happened. Even I'm still unsure. But don't dig around too much, it's RFA's darkest secret and there are reasons for that." Jaehee eyed me closely. I hesitated.

"Okay."

I arrived at the address an hour later, my damp hair resting uncomfortably against my back, the clothing sticking to my skin. With a deep breath I walked up the steps and rang the doorbell. It was a small house with two floors, wedged in between two others. A large window lay next to the door. Curious, I took a glance inside. It was dark, I could see the outline of furniture. Anxiety was surging through me, what if J didn't live here anymore? What if they didn't want to talk to me? After a few more agonizing seconds I reached for the doorbell again, before the door swung open.

An irritated young man stood before me, his white hair was tousled and damp, sliding into his eyes as he blinked. He wore a damp white shirt, with a towel over his shoulders. It was Jeong. Mouth slightly open I took a step backwards. His eyes raked me before widening.

"Kao?" He asked, bewildered. Jeong was J?

"H-Hi." I stuttered.

"What are you doing here? Wait, how do you even know where I live?"

"A friend told me," I bit my lip, searching for words. I had no idea. Jeong was involved with all this? My breath hitched. What should I do? I couldn't turn back, not now. I looked down. "Sorry to bother you, I-I came to ask if you were a victim of the donor scandal two years ago." I said quickly, my shock slowly fading.

"Pardon?"

I said it again, slowly. "Were you a victim of the donor scandal two years ago?" Surprisingly, his expression didn't change. Instead he merely scratched his head.

"So it's about that." He murmured. My chest tightened. There was no doubt about it, my fellow coworker and friend was J. "Well come in, no point in standing out here." He turned around, disappearing inside. I shut the door behind me, taking off my shoes.

"Sorry to bother you."

"It's fine, I was bored anyways." He replied.

It was dark inside, the only light being from a window in the back. Cold air passed through my clothes, giving me goosebumps.

"Want anything to drink?" He asked. I turned towards him, seeing light that appeared when he opened the refrigerator.

"Water is fine." I replied. I stumbled forward, nearly tripping on a table.

"Oh, sorry." I heard the flick of a switch and the lights came on, making me flinch. "I

prefer the dark."

"Doesn't it get hard to see?" I chuckled nervously.

"Not really, you get used to it." Jeong passed me a glass of cold water, sitting down on the couch. I followed him.

"The donor scandal. Is that what it's called now?" He asked lazily.

"I just call it that."

He nodded. "And yes, I was a victim." My hands tightened around the glass, leaving hand marks against the perspiration. "How do you know about it?"

"There's an organization I've been interested in. That was one of the events it was involved in." I replied. I didn't want to go into the long story of joining RFA, and I didn't want his bias either.

"RFA?" He asked. I nodded. His eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted ever so slightly. "Don't get involved with them, they're just trouble."

"What happened?" I asked.

"I'm sure you know what happened." Jeong replied, leaning back, his face was impassive. "I donated a large sum of my money. They hacked my account, took almost everything I had. And that was that, I was left on the streets, with nothing more than a tarnished name." I nodded slowly.

"So you were wealthy?" I asked. He nodded.

"My parents were filthy rich. I inherited that money. Afterwards I was forced to work, rather successfully I might add." I took another glance at my surroundings and nodded.

"Some of the victims were also physically attacked. Were you one of them?" He hesitated so briefly that I barely noticed.

"No."

I was about to respond before he interrupted me. "How cold, all these questions after you just ran off the other day at work" He smiled a little. I blinked.

"Sorry, how are you doing?"

He grinned. "Bored, you haven't been talking to me. We still need to have that dinner."

I laughed uneasily. "I've been kinda busy." Jeong's eyes darkened.

"With RFA." He leaned forward. "Listen to me Kao. Don't get involved with them, they stole everything from me and got away with it without a single punishment. They're dangerous."

"RFA wasn't behind the scandal." I defended. He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh really, cause they were the only ones who could have done it."

"What if-" I bit my lip. "What if another organization was behind it."

"That's impossible." He frowned. I shook my head. "Then how?" He asked.

"What if a member of RFA secretly worked for another organization. And that member gave the organization the bank information, allowing them to hack into the accounts."

"What."

"A double agent essentially."

"It's still an RFA member committing the act, it doesn't matter."

"But it's not the organization as a whole, if I can just find the double agent-"

"And how would you do that?" He snapped. I was silent.

"I was hoping you would know more about it." I finished softly. Jeong didn't respond, he simply sighed before standing up and walking away. My throat tightened and I shakily set the glass on the table and stood up.

I was at the door before Jeong said my name and I turned around, catching a tape he threw at me. I stared at it, and then at him.

"That's all I have about the scandal." He scratched his head, avoiding my gaze. "Do you have a VHS player?" He asked. I slowly shook my head.

He gestured towards his TV. "We can watch it here then." He said quickly, sitting on the couch.

"You'll help me?" I asked quietly.

"Hurry up and sit." He said. I obliged, holding the tape awkwardly. "I'm only doing this because I'm bored." Jeong clarified. A smile tugged on my lips.

"I think I'll owe you then."

"Hell yeah" Jeong said, not looking at me as he grabbed the tape, putting it in the VHS.

"Hey, thanks for this." I said with a grin. He finally met my gaze.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Seven's P.O.V

The heat was agonizing, an uncomfortable aura that enveloped anything and everything. Exhausted, I walked through the underbrush. Despite the temperature however, it was beautiful out here. A hidden forest in a mountain range. Wildflowers of every color poked out from the grass, swaying gently in the slight breeze. The pine trees cast shadows on the forest floor, with pinecones spotting the ground as far as the eye could see.

I took out my phone, I was still far away from the hideout. It had taken a lot of effort to make sure my phone wouldn't be tracked, and I was still uneasy about bringing it. With a huff I shoved my phone in my pocket, grabbing my water bottle and drinking a little.

I took a step forward, putting the bottle back in my backpack before someone gripped my shoulder. I tensed, my fingers twitching to grab the gun at my hip.

"Don't." A deep voice said. "Put your hands up." I felt the edge of a gun touch my back. Slowly, I obliged while resisting the urge to curse.

"So this is where you were." The voice changed slightly, and I realized it's familiarity. I turned around, my eyes widening as I came face to face with Vanderwood.

"You-"

He cut me off. "I found your location while you texted me, I've been tracking you since." His caramel eyes glinted as he waved his gun.

I grit my teeth. "I prevented my phone from being tracked."

"Yeah you mean you _tried_ to. You didn't have ground breaking technology at your disposal." Vanderwood said. "And they do, so this-" He grabbed the phone in my pocket, threw it on the ground and slammed it with his foot. "Had to go." He finished. I stared at it's broken remains with a disdainful gaze.

"You can just use mine if you want." He said, dragging me back.

"Wait, where are you going?" I snapped.

"Away from here, before they find us." Vanderwood replied angrily.

"No." I replied, shrugging him off.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm going to destroy them, I'm not going back." I replied. Vanderwood laughed, his smile fading when he saw my expression.

"Wait, you're not serious are you?" I didn't reply. "Luciel, you cannot kill everyone in that building." I turned forwards, silent.

"I won't let you throw away your life." He was struggling not to yell.

"Then don't watch." I finished.

I heard Vanderwood curse, storming behind me. Before he could knock me out, I spun around, grabbing the butt of the gun mid strike and pinning his arm behind his back.

"Don't." I hissed.

"Had to try didn't I?" He grunted. I released him, pushing him backwards. Then I shook his gun in front of him.

"Now either you're coming with me, or you're leaving." I said. Vanderwood sighed.

"You're not giving me much of a choice you know." He rubbed his shoulder. "I can't lose my best agent."

"I know." I replied. "Now hurry up, we have a long ways to go."

* * *

First of all, I want to thank those who have been posting reviews so far and of course just reading in general. I know my posting schedule has slowed down a lot, and I apologize for that.


	10. Seven's Past

Chapter 10- Seven's Past

Seven's P.O.V-

I was ten when my mother broke my first handmade robot. She had screamed at me and said it was a waste of time, said that I should help her raise money for my brother and I instead of fooling around. I remember the guilt and anger I had felt at the time. I had pushed the broken remains of the robot away, throwing them in the trash.

My brother got a severe beating that day, I remember the bruises on his cheek and arms. I remember the horror I felt. I vowed never to build a robot again. I could never erase that feeling of guilt. That feeling that it was my fault. I would constantly beg my mother to beat me instead. He didn't have anything to do with it, it was me. But she always refused. Now, I think part of the reason was because she knew I hated it more.

I loved my brother. He was my one salvation in that hell of a place. I would cradle him to sleep and tell him stories of a happy family, one that we were part of. One where our mother would cook us waffles in the morning and our father would be reading the paper. Where they would kiss us on our heads and wish us luck for our first day of school. Sometimes we'd have a little sister. And then a little brother. And maybe an older sister, who we'd look up to. And after telling him that story, my brother would always smile and fall asleep.

But I would stay up. I would rummage through the beat-up book of hacking I had stolen. I would tell myself that we would have a better life. That we could escape that place. And I would pave the way for it. My determination was fueled by anger, guilt and a desperate need to escape the clutches of my mother.

As it turned out, I had a special talent for hacking. By the age of fourteen I was able to do it effortlessly. That year my life changed, I met V and Rika. It was completely coincidental really. In the time we were together, they became like older siblings to me. When I showed V what I could do, he told me that I was a prodigy.

Prodigy. That word was so foreign and strange to me. I knew that I was skilled at hacking but being a prodigy was always something far off, locked behind the door which was poverty and the disadvantage of my upbringing. I couldn't believe it. My mother had always told me that I was useless and that I couldn't get anywhere in life. But with this I could. V told me that I could join a hacking agency and have a successful career. There was just one problem. I wouldn't be able to see my brother for a long time.

At first I was against it. Yes, I wanted to escape my mother and use my skills, but I could

never leave my brother. If we were going to make a life for ourselves, it would be together. We had agreed on that years ago. But as time passed, it became clear that if I didn't accept that offer my chances of another were slim. V and Rika promised that they would look after my brother while I was gone. And when I came back with enough money, we could live together. Finally, I agreed.

My brother and I escaped in the middle of the night, jumping out of the window of our house. I'll never forget the exhilaration and excitement we felt that night. The feeling of true freedom. Before we drove away however, there was one thing I needed to do. I went back into the house and grabbed a notepad, scribbling the last thing I would ever say to my mother. _Goodbye._ It was such a simple and undetailed message, but in truth that was the most she deserved. I wanted her to know that we hadn't been kidnapped. I wanted her to know that we had left by our own accord. That without her, our lives would be much better.

That was the last time I would be in our house. And as we got in the car and drove off with my brother beside me, I knew that from then, our lives would be completely different.

But things never go the way you want them to. And as my life unraveled before me, that very fact became painfully clear to me. I entered the hacking agency a few days later, a complete stranger. And after that day, I never saw my brother again. I was prevented to contact anyone from the outside for several years until they trusted me enough. I told myself that this was the price for paving a new life for ourselves.

Despite being younger than all the others, I rose up to the top in a matter of three years by skill alone. By the age of seventeen, I was granted permission to leave, as long as I continued working from a distance. The first thing I did was search for my brother. So I got in contact with Rika and V. I could have never predicted what they would tell me next.

He had killed himself.

I was in denial for several months. Why? Why had he killed himself? I had told him that I would come back for him, that everything I was doing was for him. So why…? And suddenly, everything that I had worked for seemed like a waste.

I didn't want to live anymore. I felt there was no purpose to my life. V and Rika got me through that dark period of my life. They fed me and allowed me to live with them. After they forced me to enroll in college, my life started to slowly get better. I got out of my depression and began working again.

But I never opened up to anyone else. After my brother died, a wall formed between myself and the rest of the world. I focused solely on my job and made it the only important thing to me. I don't know why. Maybe because that was the only thing I could hold onto. Because without that job, I was nothing. Without that job, I was merely the useless fourteen year old boy that had run away from his home, whose brother had killed himself.

I met Vanderwood in college where he was assigned as my mentor and trainee with combat and other work for the agency. And then sometime after that, Rika and V created RFA. I had little interest in it at first, I was rather stingy and didn't want to take time away from my job. But after awhile they finally convinced me. They told me that I had to get to know other people and that I had to open up.

And so I created 707. The fun, cheerful genius that everyone loved. It wasn't completely an act. In a way, a part of me had always been 707. The part of me that held the playful demeanor that had been shut out for the majority of my past. And for the first time in ages, I genuinely enjoyed myself. Zen, Jaehee, Jumin, and Yoosung became close friends that I had fun talking to. I created a lifestyle for myself and bought my own living area with my own money. I played video games, made online friends, and watched movies. Aside from working with the agency, my life became relatively normal.

But a little while later, Rika committed suicide. It was a blow to us all and we were devastated, especially V. For me it felt like I had lost a sister, but V had lost the love of his life. Even so, I wasn't ready for the pain of losing someone again. I had nearly died from it last time. This time it was different though. Now I wasn't alone in the loss. And although it took some time, we all recovered together. We shared our guilt in the brief moments of happiness we had. And eventually, things became relatively normal again.

And then I met Kao.

Something about her was different. I don't know what it was. But from her voice, her personality, and the way she laughed and smiled, I could tell she was something else. I couldn't take my eyes off her. There was the feeling I got when we touched and met eye contact. It was strange...abnormal even. I had never felt romantic intentions towards anyone before, and I thought it was impossible for me.

And then suddenly this whole other world opened up after meeting Kao. At first I was weary, I talked to her but tried not opening up too much. But eventually I couldn't stop myself. I wanted to talk to her every day. To ask her how she was. To pull her into my arms, weave my fingers through her hair, and kiss her like we were the only two people in the world.

The message from Mint Eye was a reminder for me. And suddenly, everything I knew seemed so incredibly fragile. My friends, my happiness, and Kao. I became terrified that I would lose them. So I shut them out, little by little. I tried strengthening the algorithm, doing anything that would prevent Mint Eye from breaking in. My job began to take up more of my time, forcing me to hack into dangerous agencies; agencies that I knew would slaughter anyone I loved if I was caught. I told myself I had to keep Kao away. And for a while, it worked. She was someone I saw from far away that I knew I couldn't have. But despite acting cold towards her, I threw down everything when I knew she was in danger. I didn't even hesitate.

From there my restraint broke, and everything went downhill. When I kissed Kao it was incredibly satisfying but also painful. Satisfying because I had wanted to do it for ages, and I couldn't repress my feelings. Painful because of how selfish I was being. I knew the danger Kao was in, and kissing her was potentially putting her in even more. How could I protect her if I was too busy loving her? Kao would just dive into the fray with me, she wouldn't let me protect her on my own. So I ran. Like I did with my mother, like I did from the loss of my brother. I ran, because I wanted to save her, because it was too painful being with her, and because admittedly, I was lost.

I always run. In the end I couldn't protect anyone. Not my brother and not even Rika. But this time it's different. I have a chance to prevent someone I care about from being hurt any further. And no matter what it takes, I'm going to do everything I can to do so.

* * *

Present Time

The glow of the campfire illuminated Vanderwood's face as he stared at me. I remained impassive, nudging the flames with a stick and then leaning back. The soft hum of crickets had replaced the cheerful chirping that had resonated throughout the trees beforehand. Since then, a blanket of shadow had cast itself upon the treeline and now the only light that I could see was the campfire before us.

"How close are we to the hideout?" Vanderwood asked finally.

"You tell me. You're the one who broke the 'map.'" I snapped. I would be lying if I said a bit of me wasn't still pissed off. It was true, without the map on my phone (which was now broken) we were essentially lost.

"They would have tracked us." Vanderwood replied nonchalantly, rubbing his shoulder.

"You don't know that." I muttered. But I decided to drop the argument.

"Any supplies left?" Vanderwood asked. I tossed him a granola bar, one of the last ones I had packed.

"No water." I added. Vanderwood winced and ripped open the wrapper.

"Didn't think of packing more supplies?"

"I didn't think I would be hiking." I replied. "I accidentally crashed my car into a tree. Besides, don't you have any supplies?"

"That's all in **my** car, which is far away now." Said Vanderwood with a frown. "If you'll recall, you didn't let us go back there."

"That would have been too much time wasted."

"Uh-huh." Vanderwood replied as he bit into the granola bar. "So what's the rush?" He asked after swallowing. I was silent as I poked the flames with a stick. "What convinced you to do aaallllll this?" He pressed. When I didn't reply Vanderwood leaned forward. "Luciel."

"What's it to you." I snapped.

"I'd like to know what's dragging me out into the wild. You know I despise hiking. Is it that girl? Kao-something or other?" My eyes snapped towards his.

"Don't butt into my personal life."

"How about you don't go running off when you have a fight with your girlfriend?" Vanderwood smirked. I couldn't prevent the cold glare that appeared on my face.

"She's not my girlfriend."

"But you want her to be"

"Vanderwood."

"Okay, sorry." He muttered, throwing his granola wrapper into the flames. "But seriously, why?"

"Because I think she might be in danger." I said finally, giving up. I was going to be spending a lot more time with him before we got to Mint Eye's hideout. I wouldn't be able to keep silent forever.

"Danger?" He asked.

"Remember when Mint Eye broke through my algorithm?"

"How could I not? You had such a hissy fit about it."

I ignored his jab. "That's when I became aware of it. After I tried to track them I found out that it was Mint Eye for sure. And then I found traces of their signal at Kao's apartment. I panicked and went there to save her, barely making it in time." Vanderwood nodded slowly.

"During the fight I secretly placed a more accurate tracker on her attacker." I said. Vanderwood laughed. I sent him a questioning glance.

"It rhymed. Tracker on her attacker." He clarified. I stared at him, silent. "Yeah sorry. Go on."

"After that I was really cautious of the organization." I continued. "Afraid that they would go after her again, I did as much research on it as I could."

"And?"

I leaned forward. "Remember the incident with the police? A few years back?"

"You're going to have to be a LOT more specific."

"When RFA was under suspicion for stealing money?"

"From your donors?"

"Yeah."

"That was awhile ago." He said with a low whistle.

"Well I always had the suspicion that another organization was behind it, not just one person. It was too big of a heist for one person to do."

"You're saying that Mint Eye was behind it?" Vanderwood asked. I nodded.

"It's just a guess, but Mint Eye must have had access to our private information several years ago."

"Otherwise they wouldn't have been able to steal the money." He added.

"Right." I replied. "So they would still have it now, making it simple for them to break into the system like they did." Vanderwood nodded.

"Okay, that makes sense. But why would they wait until now to do this? Why attempt that big heist and then wait all this time to make a move again?"

"I think it's because of Kao." I answered. "Kao inspired us to attempt fundraisers again. Kao became our new leader. We weren't getting anymore money after Rika passed away." Vanderwood nodded, then his eyebrows furrowed.

"I also think that Mint Eye was the one who got Kao into RFA." I added.

"What do you mean?"

"Kao came to us randomly. She said someone had led her to Rika's apartment. And it was none of us. After talking with her we had her join."

"Pretty quick decision there."

"There was more to it then that." I snapped.

"Uh-huh. So is there a possibility Kao is a double agent?" Vanderwood asked.

"I considered that but I find it hard to believe. She was really banged up when they broke into her apartment."

"Okay, so they helped her get into RFA...and then attacked her." He said slowly. "That doesn't make sense, why would they attack Kao? If she was so important to their plan to make money, what good would come from her being in danger?" I shook my head.

"I don't know. That's the one thing I couldn't figure out." I admitted. We fell into silence. The fire cackled at us, spitting embers at our feet. It was as if it could sense our frustration and was teasing us, slowly shifting back and forth.

"So you're here to figure out how Kao is involved with them." Vanderwood said finally.

"Essentially." I could feel Vanderwood's eyes shift to mine.

"What if you don't like what you find?"

"You mean if she really is a double agent?" I asked. Vanderwood nodded. "I don't know." I admitted. "But if there's the possibility that she's in serious danger, I can't waste any time."

"Do you love her?" He asked.

"No." I snapped, hoping he couldn't see the blood that rushed to my face.

"So you would do the same for me?!" He teased.

"Just shut up." I muttered, turning away from him and resting my head on my jacket. "I'm sleeping."

Vanderwood's P.O.V

I smiled a little and stared at the fire as it shifted to the right and then the left. My smile faded. _Love has made you foolish, Luciel_ , I thought. But then again, love had made me foolish as well.

I had grown to be rather fond of this boy, although originally he was just an agent I was in charge of. Even though I was only two years older than him, he had become something akin to a younger brother, something I never really had. I was risking my life to help him accomplish his goal, when originally I would have just called the higher ups to retrieve him.

I sighed, digging in my pocket and pulling out a cigarette. After putting it to one of the hot embers on the ground, I put it to my lips and blew out a puff of smoke. I remembered when he was younger, when he showed no emotion and let nothing get in the way of his work. I breathed out again. The smoke filled the evening air in fluffy puffs and floated up to the sky. I stared at him thoughtfully. Out of all my agents, Luciel was the one I never believed could fall in love. And now he had, and the idiot couldn't even admit it. I shook my head a little.

"Kids grow up fast." I muttered.

"Vanderwood, put out the damn cigarette." Luciel snapped. I chuckled and stamped it out.

"Whatever you say princess."

Seven's P.O.V

I woke up the next morning with another jacket thrown over me. The sun hadn't fully risen yet and the air was chilly. I shivered due to the damp grass and then brushed off my pants after standing up. Vanderwood was lying against a tree, smoking a cigarette and staring at the remains of the campfire.

"Finally up?" He asked as his eyes slid to mine. I frowned.

"Did you stay up all night?" I asked. Vanderwood shrugged.

"Someone needed to take watch."

"You could have just asked me to get up." I replied, shrugging on my jacket and swinging my backpack over my shoulder.

"But you looked so cute while you were sleeping." He cooed, dodging a large stick as I threw it at him.

"What time is it?" I asked, already recovered from his jab.

"I don't know, early morning." He got up slowly and yawned. I kicked a few leaves over the remains of the campfire and walked past him. Vanderwood trailed behind me.

"You know where to go?" He asked as we hiked up a small hill, dodging outstretched branches and weaving through narrow trees.

"I have a general idea. The GPS said I was to head north for the majority of the way." I looked up through the leaves to the dim sky. "This should be right. I never changed directions after you broke the phone." Vanderwood muttered something along the lines of, _still whining about that,_ but I ignored him and we fell into silence.

* * *

It must have been around midnight when we finally arrived at what appeared to be the hideout. Surprisingly, It wasn't hard to miss. We had a good view of it since we had emerged upon a cliff that overlooked the structure. Vanderwood and I took a few steps forward and peered at the hideout below us.

"Finally." Vanderwood muttered as he rubbed his calf. "I would be in less pain if you snapped my legs."

"Somehow I doubt that." I replied, although my legs were also extremely sore. Vanderwood scoffed and we crouched down, observing the building. It was relatively compact, enough so that it could hide under the treeline but still occupy a large area. To make a comparison, it was slightly smaller than your average high school. The main building was surrounded by fencing and small satellite towers that were scattered around the area. Spotlights flicked across the ground, beacons in the darkness.

"How has this not been found?" Vanderwood hissed. "Someone must have stumbled across this, and satellites would have seen it." I shook my head.

"They probably kill those who wander here. And they have a blocking signal strong enough to stay invisible from satellites. That's why I couldn't track them directly."

"So you put that tracker onto Kao's assailant."

"Right, that way I could clearly find their signal. Luckily, they led me here." I finished. Vanderwood nodded.

"So how are we going to do this? They obviously have a high tech security system."

"Every system has a weakness." I said as my eyes scanned the building. "I just need you to find theirs and disable it long enough."

"Wait me?" Vanderwood asked, exasperated. "No, nu-uh. You're the one who has to do this."

"No, I need to find the information. I know what I'm looking for."

"Disabling security systems is high tech stuff." Vanderwood snapped. "I'm not the tech person, you are."

"You know the basics." I countered. "That'll have to be enough."

Vanderwood scoffed. "We're going to die here, aren't we?" He asked sarcastically.

"If we do die, I'm blaming you." I said as I rummaged in my backpack and grabbed a coil of rope.

"Like hell you are." Vanderwood murmured. I smirked before wrapping the rope around a tree.

"No but really. What's the plan." He said quickly.

I bit my lip. "I hadn't really thought about it."

"Well think about it now." He snapped. I was silent for a few minutes, my brow furrowed. Vanderwood tapped his foot against the ground impatiently.

"Hurry up princes-"

"I got it." I interrupted, causing him to frown. Before he could say anything more, I quickly explained the plan I had in mind.

Vanderwood would sneak in first, taking out one of the guards who patrolled outside. He would put on his uniform and take his ID badge. Then he would walk up to the fence and hopefully taking out the few remaining there. He would hide the bodies and sneak inside the grounds. From there he would locate the main hub of security and enter as a worker with his ID, replacing the cameras with a default tape and turning off the alarms.

Afterwards, I would sneak in, putting on the uniform of one of the unconscious guards there. I would find the nearest map and sneak into one of the confidential file rooms. I suspected that each file cabinet was locked electromagnetically and with the help of Vanderwood they would be disabled. I would take the files I needed and close the cabinets without triggering the alarm. And then we would walk out unscathed. At least that was the plan.

"You know the chances of this working, right?" Vanderwood asked.

"They're looking great." I replied sarcastically.

"Yeah, five percent is a great percentage." He drawled. Despite myself, I grinned and grabbed onto the rope that I had tied. I eased off the cliff so my weight hung from the thin but sturdy length of fiber.

"Wait." I said as I pulled myself back up. "Umm." I paused, and Vanderwood looked at me expectantly.

"Thanks for helping me with all this." I said finally. Vanderwood blinked, a little surprised. And then he nodded. We shared a grin before I kicked off from the cliff, gliding through the air for a few seconds before my feet slammed on the side again and I kicked off once more. And within a few minutes we were at the bottom.

* * *

While Vanderwood accomplished the first part of the plan, I lay behind a bush, staring at the building intensely. It was a relief that we got here in the evening, it would be much harder for them to spot us at this rate. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I didn't know what was going to happen in there, I didn't know if we were even going to make it out alive. But I had to try. I leaned against a tree while keeping my eyes on the structure. I tried not to think of how tired and exhausted I was.

Despite being against it earlier, I was glad Vanderwood had showed up. I had no idea how I was to sneak in by myself. It also helped when someone else was there. It gave me incentive to keep going. Vanderwood kept my thoughts off of Kao which was necessary right now. I knew that I was beyond reckless when I was thinking of her.

My thoughts were cut off as there was a quick flash from the entrance. It was so small and brief that hardly anyone else would have noticed it. Quickly and silently, I hurried towards the entrance. The fence was peaked open with no guards to be seen. The lights near the area had been cut off, leaving it in mild darkness. I ducked behind the counter next to the fence and stripped down one of the unconscious guards that lay there.

Despite his appearance, Vanderwood was quite skilled at close combat and so far the plan had gone off without a hitch. I shrugged on the uniform, which was military like, and put on the man's hat. After checking that I had the ID badge, I strolled inside. I rounded a corner and spotted the front entrance of the building. Two guards stood outside the door, not sparing me a glance as I opened it and went inside.

A dimly lit hallway loomed out before me. I saw several guards and workers disappear through doors and scurry across the floor. After being unnoticed for several years, Mint Eye appeared to have become careless. I pulled the hat over my eyes as I smiled a little, and then strolled down the hallway like I belonged there.

I saw rooms with twenty computers lined across the walls. And rooms with large maps strewn across tables, alongside spaces that were filled to the brim with agent gear and weaponry. I quickly entered one of the rooms stocked with guns and grabbed a smaller one, shoving it in my uniform. I had packed a handgun beforehand, but one more didn't hurt. My eyes scanned for a kind of map until I spotted a large one taped to the wall. I walked up to it and observed it intently.

I knew what I would be looking for, some sort of confidentiality room, near the main meeting room but locked off so only privileged members could enter. It would be in the middle of the building so it was more secure, and probably in the bottom floor- My thoughts were cut off as I found the perfect candidate. Pulling up the gloves on my hands, I set off for the lower floor.

Luckily, the middle of the basement seemed to be relatively unoccupied other than the occasional worker hurrying across the hallway. After waiting for the coast to be clear, my fingers wrapped around the handle of the room. Holding my breath, I tilted it to the right. To my relief, it clicked and the door opened. Vanderwood had done his job. Now I had to do mine.

The room was dimly lit. An overhead light flickered on and off and the crusty smell of paper and metal blended together. I closed the door behind me and took a step further inside. Cabinets upon cabinets were lined in rows, labeled alphabetically. I grinned, my prediction was right. My eyes slid to the camera in the corner, the light that typically blinked red was now black. I had a limited amount of time before the cameras started working again.

I walked briskly between the rows of cabinets, scouring for Kao's last name. When I found the correct letter I opened the drawer and observed file after file. My fingers skimmed across the folders. Nearly five minutes had passed before I sat back with Kao's file in my hand. I was surprised that they had listed her under her current name. Due to Kao being adopted there was a chance that her file would've been organized under her birth name. I guessed that they went with present information.

My thoughts were cut off as I heard voices from the hallway outside. I turned towards the door, alert. After silently moving behind a cabinet, I waited in anticipation, my heart pounding. After a few seconds the voices faded away. Slowly, my fingers relaxed as I released the gun I had been holding.

I was about to exit the room before one file in particular caught my eye. _Mint Eye Information,_ it said. My eyes lingered on it's name before I opened the cabinet cautiously. I scoured through the files before I found the one I was looking for and tucked it under my arm.

Withholding a grin, I hurried to the door and grabbed the handle, twisting it to the right. But it didn't move. I jiggled the handle again, and again, appalled when the door stayed shut. I swore loudly. Why wasn't it opening? It shouldn't have locked from the inside unless something had gone wrong upstairs. I sighed, running my free hand through my hair. What was Vanderwood doing?

I tried the door one last time and it didn't budge. I didn't have time for this, someone could enter the room any minute and I would be discovered. I looked around wildly, my eyes locking onto the large ventilation shaft on the ceiling. Tucking the files into my jacket, I climbed onto one of the cabinets. After grabbing the gun in my inner jacket pocket I hit the corners of the grate blocking the shaft until it was bent and loose. Quickly and quietly, I removed the grate and pulled myself up into the vent with a grunt, putting it back afterwards.

I was just in time too. Because just as I had covered the vent with the grate, a group of people had slammed the door open and ran into the room.

"See them?" A man asked. Though his voice was calm there was a sense of rage hidden beneath it.

"Nobody here." A woman in black replied. I could feel the sweat that trickled down my face as I peered at the group. They knew I was here? What had happened?

"Find them!" The man ordered. I winced. This was bad, Vanderwood and I had to go, **now**. Bitting my lip, I crawled away as quietly as I could.

* * *

The vents were hot and stuffy. I held back a cough as I breathed in a cloud of dust. My clothes were filthy, my throat was parched from dehydration, and I had no idea where I was going. A bit of me was worried about Vanderwood, but I knew that he hadn't been caught yet. He was too skilled for that. I looked up as the vent changed directions and went above me. I guessed it led to the first floor. I took off my shoes and socks, tying the laces to my belt as I grit my teeth and slowly climbed up the vent. The metal was hot against my hands and feet as I made my way upwards. When I reached the top I hauled myself up and continued to crawl until I reached another grate where I could peer into the hallway.

It was utter chaos on the main floor. Alarms that I had not heard beforehand were going off and workers were running back and forth. The entire hallway was flashing red. I looked for Vanderwood but he couldn't be found amongst the panic. I hurriedly opened the grate and blended into the panicked crowd. Luckily, no one spared me a glance as I sprinted towards the front doors.

When I got outside I spotted Vanderwood's silhouette near the fences, fending off several security guards. The tall light above him flickered on and then off, casting a spotlight over him before going out and leaving him in darkness. His form had slouched slightly, and I knew he was exhausted. I ran towards them, kicking the legs of a guard with his back to me. He fell backwards with a cry, his head hitting the ground with a sick crunch. Stepping over him, I grabbed the arm of another who currently was holding a gun. After twisting it in a way that made him yell in pain, I flipped him over my back. Vanderwood cast a glance towards me, the relief on his face was blatant.

"What the hell happened?" I asked incredulously.

"I don't know!" He snapped, blocking a punch. "I went in there, disabled the cameras and locks, and suddenly a guy grabbed me!" Before I could respond a series of gunshots rang out. Without exchanging any words, Vanderwood and I darted away from the entrance.

"This is your fault! You probably messed up somehow!" I yelled as we sprinted across the grass, dodging bullets that fired past us.

"I told you that I wasn't the tech person!" Vanderwood snapped, breathing heavily.

"You just had to be more secretive about it!"

"I really DON'T want to have this conversation right now!"

"Fine! Go to the cliffside!" I panted.

"After them!" A guard commanded. Spotlights were moved, shining on our uneven, frantic steps as we ran across the wet grass and underbrush. I heard more gunshots from far away, whisking past us. My heart hammered against my chest.

"Go up first!" Vanderwood yelled as we got to the rope. I opened my mouth to argue but he forcefully pushed me into the cliffside. Dazed, I gripped the rope for dear life as I scrambled up it as quickly as I could. I heard more gunshots and yelling, branches snapping and falling to the ground amongst the commotion. I wanted to look down, to see if Vanderwood was still standing, or if he had collapsed from exhaustion. But I didn't, I couldn't. I could only climb and climb. I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them again, my breaths uneven as I gripped the top of the cliff and hauled myself over with a grunt.

Shakily, I looked over the side of the cliff, Vanderwood was climbing up, doing his best to avoid the gunshots as he swayed back and forth. But it was clear he wasn't going to make it. I pulled out my handgun and fired shots into the crowd of guards that had begun to gather around the cliffside. When it was obvious that it was too dark to see clearly, I dropped the gun and began to pull the rope up as quickly as I could. I did so over and over again until my hands became red and raw and my arms were shaking.

Vanderwood came up a minute later. His brown hair was a mess, his face sheen with sweat as he groaned in pain. Never had I been so happy to see his face. I breathed a sigh of relief as I grabbed my gun and sprinted to help him up the cliff. After untying the rope and throwing it off to the side, together we escaped as quickly as we could, half limping and half dragging each other into the trees.

* * *

I don't how long we were running. It could have been hours, or days. It felt like years. I knew that I had twisted my ankle during the escape. Due to the adrenaline I hadn't felt it then, but I was certainly feeling the pain now. Walking for nearly twelve hours, combined with pain and exhaustion had taken a heavy toll on me. After every step I took, I felt like throwing up. Vanderwood was in even worse condition. During the climb he had been shot, and even as he was on my back his face was scrunched up in pain. He grunted as I tripped over a stump.

"Sorry." I muttered, wincing. "How're you doing?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I knew we had lost them for now, but Mint Eye wouldn't have given up the search and Vanderwood and I were in no position to fight them off if they found us again. If we were caught, we would die.

"Better than you." Vanderwood slurred. "I know you twisted your ankle."

"Twisted ankles heal. Amputated legs do not." I replied sharply.

"It's not going to be amputated."

"If you use it too much it will be." I hissed. Vanderwood was silent to this. As we trekked through the woods, the leaves crunched beneath our feet. The sun was beginning to rise and the previously dark forest was starting to become illuminated. Bits of sunlight poked through tree leaves. The crickets had been silenced, and in their place chirping birds could be heard. If not for our situation, I would have loved to go hiking here.

"Sorry." I said finally.

"For…?"

"All this." I replied. "It's my fault you got shot."

"A little bit." Vanderwood admitted. "But I knew what I was getting into, it's not like I was surprised. You got the files right?"

"Yeah. But I'm not going to look at them until I know we're safe."

"They better be worth it." Vanderwood muttered.

"Believe me." I replied. "I hope they will be.

We arrived at a small stream a while later. The sun was fully up now and it's rays of heat beat relentlessly onto our backs. With a groan, I knelt so Vanderwood could get off and then sat on the rocks beside the water, dipping my sore feet into the cold surface. Beside me, Vanderwood rolled up his pants and observed his wound impassively. I eyed him.

"It's not as bad as it looks." He said finally. I shook my head and tore a piece of cloth from my shirt, dipping it in the stream and grabbing his leg.

"Did you disinfect it?" I asked, dabbing the wound carefully. Vanderwood winced.

"Didn't have time. You need to get the bullet out."

"I have nothing to get it out with."

"You're going to have to try." He replied, to which I grimaced.

"I always hated the treatment classes at the agency."

"You were always awful with that stuff." Vanderwood replied with a grin.

"That feels like such a long time ago." I admitted, trying to keep his thoughts away from the wound as I washed my hands off at the stream.

"It was." Vanderwood said, dazed as he stared at the water. Without warning, I grabbed his leg and dug into his wound to find the bullet. Vanderwood yelled so loudly that I swore birds flew from the nearby trees. I could tell the next few seconds were agonizing for him, but after finding it, I threw the bullet into the stream and quickly bandaged his leg with cloth from my shirt.

"I'm surprised you found it." Vanderwood muttered. "God that hurt."

"I can imagine." I quickly dipped my hands in the water, trying not to see how

crimson it briefly turned.

"Aren't you going to look at those files?" Vanderwood asked. My hands stopped moving briefly before I continued to wash them off.

"I don't know. I think we should keep going, they might be close behind."

"We both know neither of us can properly walk right now." Vanderwood slurred. I was silent as I took off my glasses, cupped water in my hands and splashed it onto my face. I breathed out, running a hand through my hair.

"Well?" Vanderwood asked.

"Well what?" I snapped.

"Aren't you going to look at them?" He asked. With a sigh, I unzipped my jacket and pulled out the wrinkled files. I stared at them for a little before I shook my head and set them beside me.

"Luciel, you know how much trouble we went through to get those files right? I thought you were desperate to read them." Vanderwood said as he eyed me wearily.

"I know-"

"Then read them!" He snapped. I glared at him.

"I don't know what I'll find. What if-"

"Read the damn file." Vanderwood interrupted, leaning against a tree and closing his eyes.

"Fine." I muttered. I disregarded the Mint Eye file and opened Kao's, placing it on my lap. My eyes automatically drifted to her picture at the top of the page, resting there. It felt like it had been ages since I had seen her. My fingers brushed her face. I cleared my throat and tore my gaze away from the picture to look at her information. After scanning the page my eyes widened.

"Seven…?" Vanderwood asked, one of his eyes was open as he peered at me. "You okay?" Without responding, I shakily set the file beside me.

"Hello?" He asked.

"There's no way that's true." I muttered. But it was. The file sat open beside me, unfaltering as it rippled in the breeze.

* * *

I wanted to make a longer chapter for everyone. I'm currently working on Chapter 11 so stay tuned for that as well. I also want to clarify once again that this fanfiction is not completely based on the game, there will be facts and occurrences that do not line up with it. Anyways, thanks for reading everyone! Hope you are all enjoying it :D


	11. Kao's Past

Chapter 11- Kao's Past

-Once again, Mystic Messenger does not belong to me! Please support the official game-

Kao: "Wait...what did Seven find?"

Me: "You'll have to wait and see~"

Zen: "Always the one to end on a cliffhanger."

Me: "U know it!"

* * *

He was staring at me, with those emerald green eyes of his. He was sucking me in, and I couldn't escape from his gaze. The gun in his hand was irrelevant, just from his stare, I knew he loved me. His eyes softened and he touched my face, whispering my name.

"Kao." I swallowed nervously, my emotions in a catastrophic wreck. All I could do was stay silent. The door banged open with a crash and our connection was broken, he turned around slowly, unlocking the safety on his gun.

"I knew you'd come." He said softly.

"Let her go." I clenched my teeth, my hands reached the knife I always had in my back pocket, I flipped it silently in my hands and started to cut the rope. "She's not the one you want."

"Yes, she is." As soon as the bonds came free I dived for the emerald eyed man as the gunshot went off.

And then there was silence.

I woke up covered in sweat, gasping. Jumin's brightly lit bedroom stared back at me. Wearily, I tossed the covers off of the bed and looked around. The guest room was the same as usual with it's large cylinder shaped fish tank in the corner and the huge window overlooking Seoul. My hands quickly swept over my untidy hair and I took a deep breath. What was that…? A nightmare? A chill swept across my skin and I shivered. That was Jeong. Why had Jeong acted like that?

The soft ticking of my alarm clock was the only response I had.

"It was just a dream." I said to myself. "Just a dream." I glanced at the alarm clock on my bed. It was 7:08 p.m, meaning I had slept through most of the day. It wasn't a surprise though. After a few sleepless nights in preparation for the fundraiser and filled with research about Mint Eye, I had become exhausted. I still _was_ exhausted. I yawned loudly and fumbled for my phone on my night stand.

Kao has entered the chatroom.

Yoosung: Yeah well, it gives a 50% boost to all stats.

Jumin Han: How childish.

Yoosung: 50% JUMIN! 50%! THAT'S HUGE!

Jumin Han: How childish.

Yoosung: DON'T REPEAT YOURSELF!

Zen: Now, now children.

Yoosung: Don't call me a child =_=

Kao: Hey everyone.

Yoosung: Yay! Kao!

Jumin Han: Good evening.

Zen: Yo yo.

Kao: What have I stumbled into?

Zen: Something about a certain item in LOLOL, idk I got kind of lost.

Yoosung: One of the best items in the game in fact. The Swift Rainbow Armor of Slaying.

Zen: That sounds really stupid.

Yoosung: Ur really stupid :O

Zen: I think many of my fans would disagree ;)

Yoosung: =_=

Kao: So everyone but Jaehee is on then?  
Jumin Han: That is correct, yes. Speaking of which, Jaehee has been acting somewhat amiss lately. She's been more taciturn than usual. Somewhat negligent as well, she forgot to do the papers I gave her yesterday."

Zen: It's like the man is speaking out of a dictionary.

Jumin Han: Just because I have a larger range of vocabulary than you, does not mean you have to whine about it.

Zen: You little…

Kao: Wait, so did you ask her what's wrong?

Jumin Han: She is merely my assistant. I do not see why I should care about such matters at work.

Zen: Real boss of the year.

Jumin Han: I do not need to hear this from you. All you care about is your fans.

Zen: That is NOT true. And even if it was, it's nothing to be ashamed about, fans are extremely important.

Kao: Chill you two.

Jumin Han: Childishness aside, I would like to congratulate everyone on our work so far regarding the fundraising party. As it is occurring the day after tomorrow, you are all free to relax until then. It will be a lovely party.

Yoosung: It's too bad Seven won't be there…

Jumin Han: It can't be helped. We must do what we can while he is gone. I'm sure he will come back when he finishes what needs to be done.

Yoosung: Or he just abandoned us because he was stressed out.

Jumin Han: Don't make assumptions like that.

Yoosung: Alright...

Zen: Honestly though, I feel like I haven't seen you guys in ages. You're all living in the same apartment now but I've still been busy with work.

Yoosung: I see Kao practically every day!

Kao: You're literally right next door to me haha. But it has been a while since I saw Jumin and Zen.

Jumin Han: It appears that the fundraising party will be a good opportunity to see each other again then.

Kao: I'm looking forward to it!

Jaehee Kang: As am I.

Yoosung: it's going to feel so weird. It's the first fundraising party we've had in over 2 years and rika and seven eon't be there…

Zen: Typo =_=

Yoosung: Yeah whatever, * _won't_

Kao: Hey hey, no negative thoughts before the big day.

Yoosung: yeah...ok

Jumin Han: Indeed. Although things are different this year, I believe they have taken a turn for the better, aside from Seven's disappearance of course. I think we should thank Kao for joining, without her this fundraiser would not have been possible.

Kao: Oh I really didn't do that much.

Jumin Han: I believe you did. Without you we would have had no incentive to get going, you also took Rika's place as leader, which was something no one wanted to do.

Kao: Wow...thanks Jumin :D

Zen: I agree.

Yoosung: what does incentive mean.

Jumin Han: Ah yes. I forgot that Yoosung is an idiot.

Yoosung: NO I'M NOT!

Zen: No one can use big kid words when Yoosung is in the chat~

Yoosung: SHUT UP!

Kao: pfft

Yoosung: Wait wat does incentive really mean though.

Kao: It means to take the initiative to do something

Yoosung: What's initiative mean?

Kao: Alright, I give up.

Jumin Han: This is why you attend your classes Yoosung.

Yoosung: HEY!

Zen: Anyways, I have a day off from work so I'll be stopping by the apartment to finish up some cards for the fundraiser.

Kao: Didn't we finish all the cards ages ago?

Zen: Meh, these are cards to thank guests for coming. It's just a little extra.

Kao: Ah okay.

Jumin Han: On another note, I must be leaving now. I won't be able to see all of you until the fundraiser, but I will be looking forward to it.

Jumin Han has left the chatroom.

Zen: Alright, see you guys soon.

Yoosung: cya

Kao: Bai bai

Zen has left the chatroom.

Yoosung has left the chatroom.

Kao has left the chatroom.

I turned off my phone before grabbing a quick change of clothes. Quickly, I shrugged on a sweater and walked out of the room. The apartment was quiet. A series of lights were dimmed around the main room and the rays of the setting sun fell onto the tiles of the kitchen floor. There was a faint lingering smell of coffee that drifted from the counter. I made myself (extremely late) breakfast, content that I had been smart enough to bring a box of Honey Buddah Cereal from my apartment.

I had just finished the bowl when I heard the doorbell ring. I opened the door, surprised to see Zen standing in the hallway.

"Hey." I greeted.

"Sup Kao." Zen replied as he walked inside and set a pile of cards on the table.

"Why are you here again?"

"The cards remember?" Zen gestured to the paper and I let out a "ohh".

"Right, I forgot. Do you want anything to eat or drink?" I offered.

"Just water is fine." I nodded and prepared a glass while Zen sat down on the couch, taking out a pen from his jacket pocket. I set the glass on the table and sat across from him.

Zen's fingers worked across the paper with elegance and skillfulness. I observed the letters as they appeared, watching as his penmanship swirl and glide like lace across the sheet.

"I wish I could write as nicely as you." I muttered finally, a little envious. Zen smirked.

"Looks nice doesn't it?" I nodded. His smile faded and the writing stopped.

"Hmm." He said contemplatively. There was a long pause, as if he was debating whether or not to say something. Finally, he continued. "Kao, when is Seven going to come back?" I glanced at him, startled, and then looked away.

"I'm sure Seven has something important he needs to do." I said finally, though my heart wasn't in the words. Zen could sense it.

"This fundraising party is the first we've had in two years." Zen added, putting his pen on the table. "This is incredibly important for us. If he just left like that it makes me wonder if it was ever important for him at all."

"That's-"

"Whatever." Zen said quickly as he cleared his throat. "It's just...something that has been on my mind for a bit. That's all." I opened my mouth to reply but then closed it. I didn't know what else to say. Zen had known Seven for much longer than I had.

"Speaking of people who have been gone lately. Where is Jumin? I haven't actually _seen_ that guy in ages."

"That's a good point." I admitted. "I've only been able to talk to him in the chat." Zen clicked his tongue impatiently as he continued to write on the cards.

"If he doesn't show up I'll-" He paused. "I don't know what I'll do but it won't be good." I grinned.

"Sometimes you talk about Jumin so much I wonder if you're in love with him." I teased, glad the mood had been lightened. Zen looked at me, appalled.

"How could you even THINK of such a preposterous, disgusting thing?!" He demanded with widened eyes.

"Hey you never know-"

"No!" He yelled as his hand smacked his chest, feigning offense. "I'll never hand over my beautiful face and body to him! That's disgusting Kao!" I laughed, and by the time I was done my stomach was sore. Yoosung strolled into the room, rubbing his eyes.

"You're all so noisy…" He muttered.

"Yoosung!" Zen and I called out in unison.

"Did you get that armor?" I asked loudly.

"Not yet...I even pulled an all nighter on LOLOL." Yoosung muttered. I could see the prominent bags under his eyes.

"Jesus Yoosung." Zen called out disapprovingly. "The fundraiser is the day after tomorrow, pull yourself together."

"Ahh shut up." Yoosung snapped. "I need to get that special event armor. See you at dinner." And with that, he walked back into his room and slammed the door shut.

"Yoosung it's practically past dinner time!" I called out. "Get back here!" But he didn't reappear. Zen and I exchanged an exasperated glance.

"I worry about that boy." Zen said, shaking his head.

"This is the first time he's come out of his room in two days. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a pile of piss on his bed." I added. Zen snorted.

"Honestly, that's probably true." Then he sighed and ran a hand through his pearl white hair. "This is troubling though. This is exactly what he was like when Rika disappeared. He's depressed because Seven is gone. I nodded solemnly.

"I thought he was getting better."

"Yoosung has many complex stages of grief." Zen admitted. "First he hates everyone, then proceeds to ignore them, and then after he seems a bit better, he'll resort to constantly playing LOLOL."

"Sounds about right." Zen nodded and then grimaced.

"We can't let this continue though. Last time it got to the point where he had to go to the hospital. We found out that he had clinical depression afterwards as well."

"Jesus…"

"Yeah."

"I had no idea. What can we do?" I asked softly. "I already had a talk with him about Seven. I don't think having one again will help."

"Probably not. We have to convince him to focus on what's ahead of him is all." Zen replied. "The party is going to happen whether Seven is here or not. He can't be doing this. We have to be tough on him."

"Agreed." Zen nodded before standing up and stretching. "I'm going to order some dinner, Chinese okay?"

"Yeah."

* * *

After Zen ordered Chinese from a restaurant downtown, we waited for the delivery and spent the majority of the time trying to drag Yoosung out of his room. This resulted in a plethora of kicking and screaming on his part.

"THE ARMORRR!" Yoosung cried out, reaching for his door while Zen and I lifted him up and threw him on the couch. "NOOOOO!"

"Please stop screaming." Zen whined, covering his ears.

"THE SPECIAL EVENT ARMORR!" Yoosung cried out.

"Yoosung, enough!" I snapped.

"FIFTY PERCENT BONUS-" Before he could continue, I threw a pillow at him.

"Ow." He muttered, rubbing his face.

"Pull yourself together!" I lectured. Yoosung stared at me with a bitter pout.

"But-"

"No!" Zen snapped. "No buts Yoosung."

"But-"

"Eh? I said no buts!" Yoosung hissed at us (yes, actually hissed) and then turned his back towards us.

"Yoosung, come on." I said, my tone softening. "You've been playing that nonstop. When was the last time we had a proper conversation face to face?" Yoosung muttered something inaudible and continued to pout. I sighed.

"Are you still mad about...you know?" I questioned finally.

"About what?" Zen asked.

"Just something that happened a few days ago." I clarified. There was a long pause.

"No." Yoosung replied finally, surprising us both. "It's not about that, not really. I'm over it."

"So what is it then?" I inquired, trying not to press him too much. Yoosung sighed and his shoulders slumped.

"I just can't find anything else to do. Every time I'm about to do something productive I just feel so...heavy." His head turned towards us slightly. "It's hard to explain."

"It's probably from malnutrition and lack of sleep." Zen offered, sitting next to him.

"It's not just that though." Yoosung responded softly. Then he quickly looked forward again, as if he remembered that he was pouting. "I just don't want to do anything anymore. I don't want to have the party at all, not without Seven."

"Yoosung-" Zen began.

"I know you all probably think I'm being a brat right now." Yoosung added. "And you're right, I am. But right now I just feel lost. LOLOL keeps my mind off of things.

"Talking to us would do that too." I offered.

"You're the one who's constantly gone." Yoosung snapped. "Off doing whatever you think is important." I grimaced a little.

"You're right. But I feel awful about it, I really do."

"Kao is different." Zen defended. "She's doing stuff for the fundraiser, things she believes should be done. You're just staying at home and doing nothing." He took a deep breath. "Listen, we're not trying to lecture you, although that's probably what this sounds like. We're just worried about you. This is what happened with Rika and none of us want that to happen again. I believe that you've matured since then. It can be different this time."

"I'm not so sure about that." Yoosung replied with a dry laugh. "I'm just a video game addict, same as two years ago."

"Don't say that." Zen said angrily. "Yoosung look at me." Yoosung continued to keep his back towards us, unmoving.

"Look at me." Zen repeated again, his face stern. "Now." Slowly, Yoosung turned towards us. His face appeared to be both crestfallen and hopeless.

"I know that Seven leaving was difficult for you. It was for all of us. But you can't keep acting like this when something terrible happens. If you do, life is going to suck." Zen said. Yoosung fidgeted.

"It will." Zen continued. "I can promise you that. You can't drop everything whenever that happens. You have to keep going despite how crappy you feel, and eventually you'll become stronger. This all probably sounds ridiculous to you, but we're all here for you. You can't forget that. Okay?" Zen asked. Yoosung was silent.

"Think about how Seven would act if you were gone. He wouldn't stop searching for you, wouldn't stop doing what he needed to. Remember that." After a brief pause, Yoosung responded.

"Yeah. Alright." Yoosung sniffed a little. He was about to say something before his stomach growled loudly.

"Someone is hungry." I said with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah. Shuddup." Yoosung muttered. He jumped when the doorbell suddenly rang.

"That's probably the chinese food there." Zen said. And it was.

For the rest of the evening, Zen, Yoosung and I just talked. We sat on the couch across from one another while we ate chinese food, chatting about Seven, and about the upcoming fundraiser. By the end of it, Yoosung seemed like he normally was. Cheerful and optimistic. He had eaten most of the food, including some of ours and was bouncing on the couch.

"All right, all right. Calm DOWN!." Zen blurted out as Yoosung grabbed his shoulders and leaned onto his back.

"I forgot how good food tasted." Yoosung swooned. "Especially food from the Golden Dragon."

"It's great yeah, less great when most of your food is eaten." I eyed him.

"I'm sorry!"

I laughed. "It's fine. I'm just joking."

"She has a point though." Zen muttered before I jabbed him in the ribs.

"Really, don't worry about it." I affirmed. Yoosung belched and then sighed happily.

"Yum…."

"You seem better now though." Zen admitted, glancing over his shoulder to look at Yoosung. "Less emo and more...Yoosung." The blonde grinned.

"You betcha. I feel so much better now, it was probably the food."

"Did the talk help?" I offered. Yoosung nodded and got off of Zen, sitting beside him.

"I still want to play LOLOL, but I'm going to try getting out more and prepare for the fundraiser."

"Great, thanks Yoosung." He nodded.

"Nah, thank _you_ guys." Yoosung scratched his head. "Sometimes when an important person in my life disappears, I forget that I have other people supporting me."

"It's easy to forget." Zen said softly before clearing his throat. "All this mushy talk really got to me though." He laughed uneasily and threw his white hair over his shoulder. "Can you imagine what Jumin would say if he caught me talking about that?"

"He'd never let you forget it." I cooed.

"Damn right." Zen snorted. "It's like he doesn't have anything better to do."

"Do you only bash on Jumin in your free time?" Yoosung inquired, tilting his head.

"It's like he has a crush! I know!" I squealed.

"It is most definitely NOT a crush." Zen snapped. "More like a mutual hatred."

"Oh come on, that's a little harsh." I added, slightly dejected.

Zen shrugged. "Meh."

"Tsk tsk tsk." Yoosung shook his head. "Not being honest about your twu wuv." Zen smacked Yoosung with a pillow and then grabbed his fortune cookie sitting on the table.

"Just for that, I'm taking this."

"HEY! You ate yours already!" Yoosung cried out. Zen stood up and backed away.

"Your point?"

"Don't steal my fortune! It's been months since I've had one!"

"Awww. That's just too bad isn't it?" Zen teased before opening the wrapper.

"ZEN!" Yoosung jumped off of the couch and chased Zen across the room. I snorted and shook my head.

"Boys. I'll never understand them." I muttered before grabbing my cookie on the table. It had been ages since I had last eaten chinese food, I couldn't remember the last time I ate a fortune cookie. I peeled off the wrapper and snapped it in half. After yanking the small slip of paper out, I ran my fingers across it's surface. Written boldly and plainly, were the words:

 _Be careful. Something bad will happen soon._

I stared at it silently. A sense of dread washed over me. I shook my head. It was just a silly fortune, most of them never even came true. Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling. I suddenly remembered the dream from earlier, and a chill swept across my skin.

"Kao, you okay?" Yoosung asked, suddenly popping beside me.

"You look really pale." Zen added, standing beside him.

"I'm fine." I replied quickly. Before I could say anything more, the door slammed open and we all jumped.

Jaehee stood in the doorway. Her face was tense and her lips were tight. I stood up, surprised.

"Oh Jaehee, hey."

"Kao, I need to talk to you." She said quickly, ignoring my greeting.

"Wait, what's wrong?" Zen questioned. Jaehee glanced at him briefly before looking away.

"My apologies Zen. This is for Kao and Kao only."

"Is everything okay?" Yoosung asked quietly. Jaehee didn't reply to this.

"Meet me in your room." She said, gesturing to me. I nodded lamely as she disappeared behind my door.

"What's up with her?" Yoosung inquired.

"No idea. Jumin did say she was acting strangely." I replied, worry and anxiety bit at me like a viper. What if it was about Seven? Was he okay? Jaehee rarely acted like this. The image of the fortune appeared in my mind again and I couldn't help but shiver. _Stop it. You don't have time for this._

"Well I had to get going anyways." Zen said as he checked his watch. "Jeez. Almost midnight. I barely even made progress on those cards."

"We talked for a while." I admitted before turning my attention onto Yoosung. "Make sure you get some sleep, okay?" Yoosung frowned.

"Hey, don't treat me like a child." Then he smiled a little. "But yeah, thanks Kao, I know you mean well." I nodded.

"Night Zen." I added.

"Good night Kao." Zen said from across the room. He grabbed his cards and made his way towards the door. "I'll see you at the fundraiser."

"See you then." I called out. Yoosung waved before yawning and disappearing through his door. I took a deep shuddering sigh and then slowly walked over to my bedroom. My hand hesitated briefly before I twisted the knob and stepped inside.

* * *

When I entered my room, Jaehee was sitting on my bed staring at my desk. Her face was unemotional, and yet I sensed there was something cold behind it. She glanced at me and then gestured me over.

"What's up?" I asked uneasily. Jaehee stood up and walked over to my desk, after staring at it for a split second she opened the drawer on the side and held out a stack of paper. I froze.

"What are these?" Jaehee asked coldly as she threw the papers onto my bed. Pages upon pages of information about RFA and Mint Eye fell in midair and landed on my covers. I swallowed nervously, my palms sweating.

"Why were you looking through my drawer?" I asked finally.

"Don't change the subject Kao."

"Why were you looking through my stuff?" My voice rose. "Did you really rummage through my drawer while I was gone?"  
"You were acting strange and I wanted to know why." Jaehee defended. "You were locking yourself in your room every day, asking me strange questions, barely talking to the rest of us. At first I thought it was Seven but now I don't think it is."

"That doesn't give you permission to ignore my privacy." I hissed.

"Either way, I didn't _rummage_ through your drawer." Jaehee replied calmly. "When I came in to clean up, they were sitting on your desk." I bit my lip, frustrated that I had been so careless.

"Did you read them?" I asked after a brief pause.

"I skimmed over them." Jaehee admitted. "Why are you researching Mint Eye? You should know we haven't been able to find much about them, we need Seven here for things like that." I stayed silent. "And the fundraiser two years ago? That had nothing to do with Mint Eye, it was just a coincidence-"

"It wasn't."

"What?" Jaehee stared at me.

"It wasn't a coincidence." I said again.

"What are you insinuating?" She demanded.

"Mint Eye was the cause behind the scandal." I stated, my tone quieting considerably.

"That's absurd."

"No it's not." I said with a frown. "It makes perfect sense actually."

"How did they rob us in the first place?" Jaehee was getting frustrated, her calm demeanor was slowly disappearing. "Two years ago, when our donors were robbed, how did they get that information?" I swallowed nervously, debating whether to tell her or not. Jaehee was trembling slightly, her arms were crossed over her chest and her hands loosely gripped her arms.

"Because they had someone working in RFA." I said finally. Even I knew that I couldn't hold back so much information anymore. I couldn't cover this up. "Someone who was working as a double agent."

"Yeah? Who would that be?" Jaehee questioned, frustrated. _V._ His name was on my lips, a second away from being spoken before I saw her face, fearful and anxious. I realized that telling Jaehee would ruin her. She had been working constantly every day to keep the fundraiser going, and even from where I was standing I could see the bags under her eyes. How could I possibly tell her that the leader of RFA, the person who had kept them together all these years, was secretly working against them? And suddenly I saw her as fragile as glass. If I said one wrong thing she would break. I couldn't do that to a friend. If I was going to tell them about V, it would have to be after the fundraiser. Jaehee waited for me to speak but I stayed silent.

"I don't know." I said finally.

"You don't know?" She asked with a scoff. "How can you _not_ know Kao? How can you say something like that with no proof?" Her voice died off and she sighed. After taking off her glasses she massaged her forehead. "You don't have to keep all this a secret." She said finally, sitting on the bed. I wilted a bit and then sat beside her. Lately it seemed like I had been hurting everyone in RFA.

"I'm sorry." I said finally. "I wanted to tell you all but-" V's face flashed into my mind as he shook hands with people I had never seen before. "I don't know." I finished lamely. "It was all so stressful."

"I can understand." Jaehee said with a wry laugh. "I think everyone has been stressed since Seven left." I nodded slowly and then took a deep breath.

"Listen," I said quietly as I interlaced my fingers. "I'm tired of keeping these things from everyone. I want to tell you everything." _Almost everything._ Jaehee nodded and then looked at me, putting her glasses back on. I gathered the papers on the bed and started from the very beginning; from the files in Seven's house and Jeong with the tapes. I told her everything that I had been quiet about for the last week, about my loneliness and my stress. And admittedly, it felt good. Jaehee listened, a little surprised and sometimes confused, but it seemed like she understood. By the time that I was done it was nearly 5 in the morning.

"I can't believe it." Jaehee let out a sigh, leaning back.

"It's a lot." I admitted. Are we okay though? You're not mad anymore?" I asked.

"Well I'm still slightly upset you kept all of that hidden for so long. But I feel much better." Jaehee said with a little laugh. "Thank you for telling me all that." I nodded. "I had no idea though. About Mint Eye. About everything. Truthfully it's a little terrifying."

"Believe me, I agree." Jaehee sat up and blinked.

"Hold on, Kao you're adopted?"

"That's the thing you ask about?" I questioned, exasperated. "But yeah." I remembered that I had told her about my own file.

"I just never knew."

I shrugged. "I just didn't find it important."

"Do you know who your parents are?" Jaehee asked. I shook my head.

"No, and frankly I don't want to. I don't want to learn about the people who died before I could get to know them, who blew up before I could even remember their faces; my adoptive parents will always be my real parents to me."

"Blew up?" Jaehee inquired, confused. I sighed.

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want." Jaehee reassured.

"No...it's fine. I was found with burn marks on me. So the people who rescued me speculated that my parents had been driving a car. And that they got into an accident and died."

"Do you have any marks now?" I was silent before yanking down the collar of my pajama top and moving my hair to the side.

"It's on the back of my neck." Jaehee leaned behind me while I stared at the wall, withdrawn.

"Wow. I had never even noticed it before."

"I grew my hair out for the purpose of covering it." I admitted before tossing it over my back again. "I've always been ashamed of them. Most of the scars went away over the years but that one is still slightly visible. It's hard to see without being pointed out."

"I see. I'm sorry for being so insensitive." Jaehee added softly.

"You're fine. I'm the one who's been keeping so many things from you." _And I haven't_

 _even told you everything._ I thought bitterly.

"This is all so much." Jaehee admitted. "And you're sure you don't want to know even a little bit about your parents?" She questioned. I leaned back on the bed so I could stare at the ceiling.

"Eh." Jaehee waited for me to elaborate but I continued to stay silent. Finally, she gathered the remainders of the paper and set them on the desk.

"Well that's fine I suppose." She turned to look at me before readjusting her glasses. "Let's go."

"Wait." I sat up abruptly. "Go where?"

"To work of course." Jaehee said with a smile.

"What?"

"To where Mr. Han and I work. The research tools there are state of the art. I want to know more about Mint Eye and you do as well." I jumped off the bed and grinned.

"Awesome, I've always wondered what it looks like." Jaehee checked her watch.

"Let's go then." After I gathered my things and shut the door behind me, Jaehee and I exited Jumin's apartment and set off for the headquarters.

* * *

The building that Jumin and Jaehee worked at was beautiful. The facade consisted of glass that ran across its walls, reflecting the rising sun and the other skyscrapers around us. As I peered out into the city from the inside, I found myself mesmerized at the view, despite having seen it countless times.

"Looks nice doesn't it?" Jaehee inquired from across the room. I replied without turning.

"It's gorgeous."

"That's what all new employees think when they start working." Jaehee added, strolling over to me. "And then after a week of all nighters and countless stacks of paperwork they forget the view and start realizing how miserable their lives have become." I gave her an empathetic glance and she smiled dryly.

"My apologies. Follow me." Jaehee cleared her throat before leading me through hallways floored with marble and surrounded by gorgeous vases and artwork; things that most likely cost more than my own apartment did. She stopped at one door in particular, and after placing her identification next to it it clicked open.

The room that spanned out before us was ginormous. The walls and carpet were dark grey. Countless monitors and screens surrounded computers that sat on rows upon rows of desks. The lights that hung from the ceiling were dimmed to an extent to which the screens acted as beacons. Jaehee led me down to a row of computers on the side and sat down in a chair, gesturing to the one next to her. I gratefully took a seat.

"We're here early so nobody will notice you." Jaehee said calmly as she took out a folder from her bag. I nodded and we got to work.

* * *

Jaehee was right. The archives and research capabilities were so much better than the ones I had originally used. I looked up events about RFA, and anything I could find about Mint Eye. I had just finished scribbling down a sentence before Jaehee tapped me on my shoulder.

"What's up?" I inquired.

"Well I was researching more about Mint Eye's history." Jaehee began. "And I think that they were created much earlier than RFA was."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because of their procedure, sending that message to everyone, the paradise thing, attacking people and stealing from them. That's all been done before, it's been happening for the last seventeen years."

"But that...that doesn't make sense. Why didn't I find anything about them before?"

"You weren't using the right technology. Mint Eye secretly attacked a lot of organizations that were either top secret or filthy rich. Everything was covered up. They also went by a different alias before. I'm guessing they changed it two years ago to Mint Eye."

"So we're not their first victim." I said softly. Jaehee nodded.

"I was able to create a list of Mint Eye's targets or victims. Although it's all speculation." She turned her screen towards me. "These two were on it and they caught my eye." Eyeing her wearily, I scooted next to her and glanced at her screen.

The first thing I saw was a photo of a young couple. The woman was beautiful with a kind smile and light brown eyes and hair. The man had a more mischievous face, with messy black hair and dark eyes. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her next to him. I stared at the picture, my chest tightening.

"Who are they?" I asked finally, my eyes sliding to hers.

"That is Lee Seo-Yon." Jaehee said as she pointed at the woman. "And that is Goo Tai-Hee." She added, pointing at the man. "They were two prominent leaders in the Korean government, and part of a top secret research project." A sense of foreboding crawled across my skin, and I shivered.

"So what was different about them?" I inquired finally.

"Tai-Hee and Seo-Yon were just as rich as the other targets, so at first there was nothing special about them. But when I started researching all of the victims individually, I discovered that these two were the only ones that died."

"Mint Eye only killed them? I thought they murdered several people." I admitted. Jaehee shook her head.

"So why only them?" I asked.

"I'm not exactly sure. I'm speculating it has something to do with their status as government officials."

"That's weird." I muttered. "How did they die then?"

"Their house was burned down. They were never seen again and it was speculated that they died in the fire."

"Okay, but how do you know if it was by Mint Eye?"

"It had to be." Jaehee answered, adamant. "There were many signs that the fire was manmade, not an accident. And they were Mint Eye's target's at the time."

"Alright." I said, looking back at my screen, my brow furrowed. _What did Mint Eye want with them?_

"And Kao, there was one more thing that I think you should hear." I turned towards her again.

"I think-" She paused and then corrected herself. "I have reason to believe that Lee Seo-Yon and Goo Tai-Hee were your birth parents."

* * *

Seven's P.O.V

"Luciel?" Vanderwood asked, eyeing me closely. I stared at the stream, silent and then at looked at him.

"Kao's birth parents were victims of Mint Eye." I said quietly.

"What?"

"Kao was adopted." I clarified, looking at him. "She never knew who her birth parents were. And I could never find it out, they're actually Lee Seo Yon and Goo Tai-Hee." Vanderwood's eyes widened.

"Weren't they the leaders of the Algorithm Project all those years ago?" He asked finally. "I thought they died in a fire."

"Supposedly they did, after having their money stolen. And their newborn 'died' in it too." Vanderwood shook his head.

"That's too much of a coincidence."

"You think? That's not even the big part." I handed him the file. Vanderwood looked over it closely.

"She's labeled as a key figure." He looked at me but I stayed silent. "What does that mean?"

"Kao was chosen by Mint Eye for a reason. That reason is because of her parents." Vanderwood nodded and I continued to speak.

"They want some kind of information from her. Information they believe she'll tell them."

"What?"

"It says right here." I explained, grabbing the file and pointing at it. "She'll give information to Mint Eye."

"That's ridiculous." Vanderwood said with a frown. "They could never get Kao to tell them

anything."

"Yeah I thought that too."

"Besides, this is all too complicated of a plan. Let's say this is all true. That they killed Kao's parents because they wouldn't give them information on the project, saved the kid, waited for the kid to grow up, and had the kid join RFA just to get them on their side again? Why not just kidnap the child in the first place?"

"I don't know." I admitted.

"Maybe we're missing something here." Vanderwood suggested, peering at the files closely. "Maybe it's not that Mint Eye planned all this. Maybe something else interfered with their plan."

"Who?" I asked. Vanderwood shook his head.

"Someone who's been behind the scenes this entire time."

"That would explain part of it." I admitted.

"Besides, the information that they want is something she wouldn't be able to give. Kao probably wouldn't even remember them."

"Perhaps." I said quietly. "But she might remember more than she thinks."

We were silent. Vanderwood grabbed the file again and continued to observe it. After turning a page and scanning it quickly he blinked.

"What's this mean?" He asked as he pointed at the page. I leaned over him, following his finger.

"Interception date…? The date of the attack?" I looked next to it. "That's the day of the fundraising party." I said slowly. Vanderwood and I met eye contact.

"That wouldn't mean…"

"I think it would." I replied quickly, my hands formed into fists. Kao was in danger.

* * *

Kao's P.O.V

Her words hung in the air. I ran them over and over again in my mind but my lips remained parted. _I have reason to believe that Lee Seo-Yon and Goo Tai-Hee were your birth parents._

"What?" I asked with an uneasy scoff.

"You heard me correctly."

"That's...ridiculous." I leaned back, retracting my arm from the computer screen and looking away. "I know I told you that I was adopted, but I never wanted you to look into who my parents were."

"I didn't plan to." Jaehee said quickly. "And I apologize for peering into your life. But please hear me out. Lee Seo-Yon and Goo Tai-Hee supposedly died in a fire, like I said earlier. It was speculated that their five year old daughter had died with them. But I don't think she died." Our eyes met.

"Her name was never revealed but I think that child was you." She continued. I stared at her, shocked and then shook my head wildly.

"No. I was discovered near highway, after a car-"

"Kao, it wasn't a car accident that you were in. It was a fire. Your house burned down, you lived next to the highway. You had burn marks on you."

"No, my parents car blew up." I said quickly.

"The adoption agency just said that because they didn't have an explanation for it."

"Then how was I practically unscathed from the fire?!" I yelled, my heart hammering against my chest. "Shouldn't I have died with them?!"

"Somehow you were saved-"

"And all of the sudden I'm just supposed to believe that my parents were apparently governmental officials?! That's absurd!" I was hyperventilating. My palms were sweating and my vision was swirling. I stood up from my chair and backed away, my back hitting the desk behind me.

"Kao listen to me." Jaehee said hurriedly, trying to calm me. "Your date of birth matches up with the date of the fire, you look like them, you were found in the same area as their home, and you had burn marks on your skin." She finished. "All we would really need to prove it is a DNA test." We were silent. Uneasiness began to creep in the room one more before I finally shook my head.

"I need to go."

"Kao-"

"Goodbye." I said quickly, rushing out of the room before shutting the door behind me.

* * *

Seven's P.O.V

It was a beautiful day. Birds chirped melodically, fluttering across branches and staring beadily out over the emerald forest. Rays of sunlight filtered through the leaves and left trails of warm light over the dirt. For the most part, it was peaceful. Or at least it was, before Vanderwood and I burst through the underbrush and hurried across the forest floor. Birds cried out in surprise and hastily flew away from the surrounding trees. Neither of us cared however. We moved as fast as we could against the pain. Vanderwood cried out and staggered to the side, coughing a bit of blood and wiping his chin with his sleeve. I glanced back at him and he waved me away.

"I'll be fine."

"You sure you don't want me to carry you again?" I questioned, breathless. Vanderwood shook his head.

"You can't support me right now." It was true. I had to half limp and half run through the forest. My ankle was screaming in pain and agony, buzzing against the makeshift bandage I had wrapped around it.

"How close are we?" Vanderwood asked with a groan, leaning against a tree.

"I don't know. You got rid of my phone." Vanderwood grimaced. I sighed angrily. Every second we spent standing here was a second that we weren't driving back to Seoul. A second where Kao was put in even more danger.

"That's right," Vanderwood's words snapped me out of my trance. "I didn't want to bring my phone either, in the case that it would be tracked. Are we even going the right way?" I was silent to this. I didn't remember running across the stream we had seen earlier on the way to the hideout, for all I knew we were heading in the opposite direction.

"Where did you park your car again?" I inquired.

"Right next to yours pretty much." Without responding, I grabbed a branch above me and hauled myself up with a grunt.

"What are you doing?" Vanderwood eyed me wearily.

"Getting a vantage point." I replied, grasping another branch and climbing upwards. My ankle slipped against the bark and I fell against the tree. Doing my best to ignore the searing pain, I hauled myself up above the treeline.

At first, All I saw around me was emerald trees. In the distance, I could see mountains in varying sizes that were covered in green. My eyes scanned the horizon, locking onto the faint silhouette of the city. That was the same direction of the highway, which meant our cars were there. It was slightly to the left of us. I breathed a sigh of relief, we weren't too far off track. Suddenly, a gust of wind slammed my chest. I had to grip a branch for support as it swept up the leaves around me.

"Luciel!" Vanderwood's muffled voice reached my ears. I grabbed a lower branch and let myself hang so my legs dangled above the ground. I jumped to another and then let myself drop. The impact came quickly, I rolled onto my back before standing up with a grimace.

"We're in the right track." I pointed to the left of us. "Keep going that way." Vanderwood nodded and stumbled past me, holding his side. I cast one last look at the tree before following him.

* * *

Kao's P.O.V

I don't really know my first memory. Sometimes I think it's one thing, then I think it's another. Other times, I remember bits of pieces that are unfamiliar to me. I do clearly remember the orphanage. It wasn't a bad life. They fed us and looked after us. We weren't abused at all either like typical orphans in movies. During that time, I always wanted to talk to my peers. But all the other kids already had friends or they had no interest in making new ones, and the headmistress was too busy managing the orphanage.

As a result, I felt neglected and lonely. I admittedly blamed my birth parents for leaving me and I never found out who they were, or what happened. No one had ever told me the circumstances of how I had been abandoned for many years, and I had always assumed that they had left me on the highway, not wanting to take care of me. Back then I told myself I didn't need anyone else, I grew up to be independent and strong willed. I never allowed myself to admit that all I wanted was someone to love.

And to be loved.

When I was finally adopted at the age of 7 I was overjoyed. I would finally have a family. My adoptive parents were extremely kind to me. They enrolled me in a better schooling system and my life began to take shape as something I had always dreamed of it being.

I had a sister as well, who was three years older than me. Her name was Seong and I loved her dearly. She became my best friend and we shared everything, becoming practically inseparable. After I got into high school however, things began to change. My father was diagnosed with a serious case of Alzheimer's disease, which was rare for being so young. The doctor informed us that in a matter of time, he wouldn't remember anything about us.

It was especially hard on my sister who would shut herself in her room for weeks on end, only eating here and there. I had overwhelming amounts of work from all the volunteer hours and activities I was involved in. I had also gained a close friend who I'd hang out with after school. My mother begged me not to get distracted by the things at home, she said I had a future and I had to keep striving for it. So I did. I never had time to be with my family, and before I knew it, a year and a half quickly passed. And by then my father had forgotten about us.

It was painful, walking into their room and seeing my dad lying there, staring blankly at the wall. My mother never stopped believing that he would recover. She would feed him and show him pictures and slideshows of our past. She would tell him about all the holidays that we had celebrated, Korean, American and many others. Even if no one else celebrated them. Like that one time at Christmas when he had accidentally fallen into the Christmas tree. That one makeshift Halloween when we had all dressed up like pumpkins and we were too fat to fit through the door. My dad would laugh a little, and for a moment we all thought he was back; that the person we loved had returned, and that it was all just a funny little prank. But then his smile would fade and he would continue to stare at the wall, and we realized that it wasn't a joke. It was just life. And we had to deal with it.

By the time I finished high school, I realized that my home wasn't a warm place anymore. It was full of memories, warmth that was in the past and things that could never happen again. Whenever I stepped inside there would be no one welcoming me home, no warm smile from my family. Just the empty kitchen table staring at me, where we once laughed like we didn't have a care in the world.

My sister was already in college and she barely talked to us anymore. My close friend in high school had drifted away from me, and she was occupied with her boyfriend. My mother had picked up a job to support herself, so I rarely saw her anymore either. When she _was_ home, she would sit in my father's room, rocking back and forth on her chair and staring blankly out of the window. After days of this, I realized that I didn't love my home anymore. So I left. I enrolled in a college far away from my home and I ran.

College was a fresh start from me. I cleared the past from my mind and focused on my school work. I never was able to pick up anymore friends, just people I occasionally talked to, or co workers for part-time jobs I did. I majored in finance, something I had always been skilled with and did quite well in. Eventually my past became something that I rarely thought about anymore and I became more outgoing and positive.

When I graduated from college and got a well-paying job at a company I was content. I bought an apartment for myself and planned a life ahead of me. I tried to get ahold of my sister so we could talk again, but she said she was always busy, an excuse I knew well. I didn't blame her for not wanting to talk. I knew that to her, I was a living reminder of home, and of dad. Just like she was to me.

Eventually I got to know my coworkers more. We would go out for dinner or lunch, maybe a sports game here or there. But I never really connected with them. I would laugh along with them and follow them because I didn't have anyone else to follow. When I got home from work I would slump on the couch and watch television programs about close friends and their life in New York, or rewatch my favorite movie about a certain wizard in a magical school. It was a sad, pathetic schedule I followed without knowing, a lifestyle my brain had succumbed to.

And then I joined RFA. Perhaps I wanted to join because of my loneliness and boredom. A typical person wouldn't just accept becoming part of such an unknown thing. But I took a chance, a step towards something new. And I was so relieved when I did.

I found a group of people that I enjoyed being with. I would stay up until 4:00 a.m in the morning, talking to all of them and giggling like a madman. I suppose this was the social aspect of my life that I had never experienced, aside from my sister and friend in high school who were now both gone. Of course, I had never considered myself to be anti-social primarily because I could interact quite well with others. However, I could never truly put myself out there before RFA. I loved each member individually, Jaehee, Jumin, Yoosung and Zen.

And then there was Seven.

In the past, I had crushes in high school and college. They were little admirations from afar because of how smart they were, or how athletic they were, or because they had a nice face. But I had never really _liked_ someone before. That all changed when I met Seven. I didn't like him right away of course, he was more of a friend. But then I realized how I felt when my mind wouldn't wander from him, and my eyes would drift to his.

Seven was my first love, he still is my first love, despite the fact that we've only known each other for a short amount of time. And that's why I can't let go. Because as soon as I stop investigating, I'll feel like he's truly gone. And now I'm just holding onto the remains of him. And every time I take a large step towards him, reaching for him, he just disappears into wisps of smoke like he was never truly there in the first place. Like all the happiness we experienced was merely a dream. I want to go look for him, but I have no idea where to go. So I'll stay here. I'll stay and hope that he comes back so I can see his smile one more time.

* * *

Seven's P.O.V

Nearly two hours had passed before Vanderwood collapsed, unable to move any further. I hobbled over to him as quickly as I could.

"You okay?" I asked. Vanderwood's face was contorted in pain, he spat more blood out, coloring the leaves beneath him.

"Jesus." I muttered, turning him over and pulling up his shirt to observing the wound. Although the bullet had been taken out, he still appeared to be in terrible shape. The makeshift bandage I had wrapped around his waist was tainted with crimson and moist to the touch.

"We're moving too much. It's bleeding again."

"We can't afford to stop." He muttered. His face had taken on a pale and pasty color, as if all the blood had drained from his face.

"No." I replied. "We can't." It had taken us over a day to cover the distance before, how could we possibly make that time like this? I pushed the thought away from my mind and ripped off more fabric from my shirt, tightly wrapping it around the wound. Vanderwood grimaced as I pulled him up. "Get on my shoulders."

"Your ankle-"

"We don't have time for this." I snapped. "Get on." With a grunt, Vanderwood wrapped his arms around my neck and I stood up shakily.

"Giddiup." He mumbled. I scoffed and continued walking.

"God you weigh a lot."

"I work out." Muttered Vanderwood.

"It's funny. It really doesn't look like it."

"Shut up skinny boy." Despite myself, I grinned.

"Hold up." He said. I stopped moving. "Look there." Vanderwood weakly pointed to the left of me, beyond a few trees. Just a few feet away from us was a small river. I hobbled over to it as quickly as I could. The sound of rushing water greeted my ears as we stopped over the edge.

"This is probably connected to the stream somehow." I said, my eyes scanning over the rapids. "I told you we should have followed the water."

"I thought we would have ended up in a completely different direction." Vanderwood muttered. I gently set him down and cupped the cold water below me, greedily drinking it from my hands.

"It's going downhill." Vanderwood said quietly. His eyes scanned across the rapids until they disappeared from sight. "That could be our quick way to get out of the forest. It's headed in the same direction as we are."

"We don't have a boat." I countered, wiping my mouth. "And neither of us are fit for swimming right now. You would probably bleed out." Vanderwood was silent. I stared at him and then grabbed more water for him with my hands. Most of it splattered onto his chin but he seemed grateful for it anyhow.

"We should get going soon." I said, starting to stand up. Vanderwood stopped me.

"Wait. Did you hear that?"

"Hear what."

"That noise." Vanderwood sat up, his eyes dark. We were silent, listening intently for whatever he had heard.

"I don't hear anyth-" Before I could finish, there was a rustle behind us. Vanderwood and I turned around slowly.

Behind us, was a large black bear. It stared at us intently. I quickly averted my eyes. I heard Vanderwood softly utter something. Steadily, it crept towards us. I swallowed nervously and slowly, very slowly, stood up and held my hands out in front of me. I had training about what to do in this situation, but what worried me was Vanderwood. He didn't move, he couldn't. We both knew that if he moved, the bear would be able to smell it's wound, if it didn't already. My heart hammered in my chest. The bear ignored me, it's head tilted towards Vanderwood and it sniffed the air. Then it crawled towards him.

I was stuck. I could most definitely escape by myself, but Vanderwood couldn't. And if I took him with me I knew we couldn't outrun it. My fingers lingered at the gun at my belt, but I knew that it could survive several shots for a few minutes unless I was lucky enough to shoot it in the right spot. And I wasn't even a good shot. So if I did manage to hit it, it would survive long enough to attack Vanderwood or myself. Sweat dripped down my chin as I continued to move back until my heel met the edge of the river. But I couldn't leave Vanderwood.

I gently grabbed his collar and dragged him back, still averting my eyes. I hoped that it wasn't enough movement to open up his wound further. The bear growled, it's claws leaving marks on the ground as it continued to make it's way towards us. Vanderwood grabbed my waist with a grunt, using me for support. The creature hadn't made any sudden movements, that was good. I took a step to the right, careful not to fall into the river. But then I felt something moist against my side. _Blood. Vanderwood's blood._ Sweating, my eyes slowly moved to meet the bear. And then I knew that I had made a mistake. The bear roared furiously and dashed towards us. Making a split second decision, I dove to the right, looking back at the bear who had slashed into the space we were not a moment ago. We couldn't outrun it. We couldn't fight it. There was only one option we had. Taking a deep breath, I rolled over, Vanderwood still in my arms, and let the freezing water of the river embrace me.

I couldn't breath. The frigid water washed over my hot skin as I opened my mouth, the oxygen leaving my system. My lungs burned as I grasped Vanderwood's shirt and yanked him up towards the surface so he could breath. My grip on him slipped. I could hear the muffled sound of a splash, alerting me to the knowledge that the bear had jumped in with us. I swam upwards while the current pulled me forward, the distorted view of the sky surrounding my vision before I broke the surface of the water and took in deep gulps of air. I searched around me desperately, looking for Vanderwood. I saw him, just a few feet away and being carried by the current. I swam forward and did my best to ignore the roars behind me.

Black bears weren't the best swimmers, but I knew that they could do it fairly well. And my speed had decreased substantially because of my ankle. With grit teeth, I reached Vanderwood within a matter of seconds and grabbed him. I wasn't surprised to see that he was unconscious. He had lost too much blood.

The bear wasn't far behind us, and now I couldn't use my gun at all. I kicked the water as hard as I could, letting myself get carried by the fast current. I couldn't die here. I owed Kao, I owed all of my friends, including Vanderwood and the others. Still swimming, I grabbed rope from my belt. I cast a quick look behind me. The bear was only a few feet away. Working as quickly as I could, I tied the rope around Vanderwood's belt and mine. My eyes widening as I caught glimpse of a small waterfall ahead of us. For a split second we were airborne, our legs dangling on nothing, the frigid water splashing onto our backs. And then we were submerged again. I coughed as I broke the surface of the water. I knew what I had to do. Treading water and still being carried by the current, I grabbed a swiss army knife from my belt, the only one I had and then looked behind me. The bear had fallen down the miniature waterfall. It had forced a small wave to splash over Vanderwood and myself. I took a deep breath, waiting until I stopped bobbing up and down. And then I threw the knife.

For a moment, it seemed like time had stopped. I saw the knife fly across the rapids, rotating so the blade reflected the water. The bear opened it's mouth to roar once more. I hoped with every fiber of my being that it hit.

And it did. The knife embedded itself into the bear's skull, right between the eyes. It died instantly. The bear's jaw was still open as it disappeared beneath the surface of the water. But I had barely any time to celebrate. Gasping, I turned around as I submerged beneath the water and popped up again. My legs were beginning to cramp and I could barely feel them anymore. I tried to swim towards a ledge and grab on, but the current was too fast, and Vanderwood was dragging me down. Reaching for the side, I tried to grab something, anything. But my fingers slipped and I slid back into the water.

My vision was getting hazy. As my legs kicked violently I slowly became more and more submerged. _Someone._ I gasped for air. _Anyone._ My fingers clawed against the surface of the water as Vanderwood continued to drag me down. _Help me._ But it was too late. The sky seemed so far away as I was pulled deeper and deeper. _Was it all a waste?_ I thought. _Was any of this really worth it?_ My lungs screamed for air, a single wish. But I couldn't get there. I couldn't do anything.

But then I saw something. A single misshelved log floating on the surface of the water. And then I began to hope again. Every bit of me was screaming, crying in agony. _Air, air, air. Live, live, live_. I began to kick again, my arms reaching towards the surface. My chest felt like it was folding in on itself, breaking bone after bone, snapping tendon after tendon. And then I broke the surface. I took in deep, greedy gulps of air as I paddled towards the log and hauled myself on it. It sank a little but continued to float down the river. I pulled Vanderwood up beside me so he hung off the log and then coughed out water. _I had done it. We were safe._ Wearily, I looked behind us at the angry rapids and then let my head rest on side of the log. _We were safe._

* * *

I don't know how long we were on that log. All I did know was that it was early evening by the time we reached the bottom. The river had emptied out into a small lake. Still using the log, I kicked us towards land. Within ten minutes or so, we reached the edge of the lake. With a groan, I hauled Vanderwood on the ground and then collapsed onto the mud and let myself catch my breath. We had both endured so much within the last day. I pushed myself up weakly and then undid the rope tying us together.

"Vanderwood." I muttered. He was silent and his was head tilted away from me. I checked his wound and winced. He must have lost so much blood. "Damn it." I muttered as I did my best to perform CPR. But he was unresponsive. I didn't stop.

"Wake up." I demanded quietly. Vanderwood didn't even flinch.

"WAKE UP!" I yelled. I couldn't lose him too. Not when it had been my fault that he had been in such danger. But Vanderwood was silent. He was gone.

"DAMN IT!" I yelled. Too tired to move, I fell beside him helplessly. My hands clenched the mud as I sobbed silently. I was so tired of it. So tired of the pain of losing someone. The world just couldn't give me a break. It was as if God slapped a target on my back, pointed at me, and had said "Yeah him, make him suffer." For all these years I had just considered Vanderwood to be an annoying superior. Someone who really just cared about their job, nothing else. I didn't realize that beyond a simple coworker, he was also a close friend.

"Crying about me princess?" I froze, and looked beside me, mouth open. Vanderwood coughed out water and smiled dryly.

"You-" I stopped abruptly as he began to cough again. After helping him sit up I stared at him, not sure if he was real.

"How are you still alive?"

"I don't know." Vanderwood admitted tiredly. "I thought that bear would kill us for sure."

"No not that. I thought you would have died from blood loss. We were in the water for ages."

"Didn't the bear jump in with us too?"

"Well...yeah. I ended up killing it though." Vanderwood raised an eyebrow.

"You killed a Black Bear? Maybe you should be in the Combat department."

"Stop talking." I ordered, bandaging up his wound again. "It's a miracle you've made it this far. But you can't die just yet." Vanderwood ignored me.

"I almost did. I could...feel it. The darkness closing up on me. Like when you're freezing to death, it just fades away, all of it. The pain, the struggle. I was tempted to take it. To just close my eyes and never open them again." Vanderwood grimaced. "But I can't leave you just yet. You have to save your girlfriend. How could I leave a fellow bro before they can do that?"

"What an idiot." I muttered.

"You're the idiot. Look at your face, you have mud all over it." I quickly rubbed my face with water.

"Hold on. You still have the files right?" I froze. I had forgotten about the files. I frantically searched my jacket and then I found them, wet, damp, and battered. But they were there.

"Thank god for that secret pocket." I muttered. I hauled Vanderwood on my back.

"Your ankle okay?" Vanderwood muttered.

"The pain has dulled." I admitted. "I think I'm so used to it by now that I can't feel it." As I stepped on it, a searing pain stabbed my ankle and I grunted. "Never mind."

"Hold on." Vanderwood whispered, looking around weakly. "This looks familiar. I think I walked past here while I was trying to find you." My heart skipped a beat as I looked back at him.

"Think you can remember the way back to your car?" After observing his surroundings one more time he nodded.

"That way." He pointed the left of me and I followed his directions. Within a few minutes, I could spot glimpses of the highway.

"I can't believe it." I whispered. "We made it. In one piece too."

"Speak for yourself." Vanderwood muttered. We continued forward until I could see my car. It was slammed into the tree, with branches poking through the front window. "What a driver." He scoffed. "My car is through there." Vanderwood pointed to the right and I walked through a small collection of trees before I saw a small blue car hidden from view.

"Do you have any first aid supplies in here?" I asked as Vanderwood crawled into the car.

"In the back." He replied tiredly. I grabbed them and then got into the driver's seat.

"Can you apply them yourself?" He nodded and grabbed the kit, opening it's contents slowly. After shutting the car door and putting on my seatbelt I started the car.

"We're going home.." I said softly. He smiled weakly.

"It's as if we never left."

* * *

Hope you all liked the long chapter! The fundraiser begins soon! Oh boy, that'll be fun to write. I also want to clarify once again that the perspectives of Seven and Kao are happening during different times. So when Kao and Jaehee are researching Mint Eye, Seven and V have just escaped from the hideout. But anyways, please review, follow and/or favorite! It all means a lot to me and thank you all for reading!


	12. The Fundraiser (Part 1)

Chapter 12- The Fundraiser (Part 1)

Me: "And so begins the main climax of the story!"

Kao: "Oohhh! Exciting! What did you have in mind?"

Me: "You'll just have to wait and see. Grab your popcorn and get ready for the two parter everyone!"

Yoosung: "Yum! Popcorn!"

Seven: "Hey, can I have a break please? I've been through so much in the last few days. I can't deal with a climax."

Zen: "Sorry Seven, I don't think it's going to get any better."

Seven: *Sigh*

Me: "Enjoy!"

* * *

Seven's POV

Current time: 8:00 a.m

Time until the Fundraiser: Eleven hours

Vanderwood and I had driven through most of the night. I had been hoping we could escape the traffic in the morning but it was unavoidable. The way to Seoul was packed at eight in the morning. Rush hour was at its peak. The roads were slow moving colors, as the cars on them would move merely a few inches per second. Korea was known for its infamous traffic, after all. I bit my lip as I checked the time, my fingers tapping against the wheel impatiently.

"We'll make it in time. Don't worry." Vanderwood muttered.

"The fundraiser starts at seven p.m." I replied quickly. "We're seven hours away from Seoul. With the gas stops and heavy traffic that'll occur, that'll make the travel time about eleven hours." At this, Vanderwood groaned.

"Why'd you have to drive so far away, eh?"

"Which means," I ignored him. "If all goes well, I'll drop you at the nearest hospital

coming up and get to Seoul approximately at 7 p.m, if not a little after."

"Just ignore me." Vanderwood said with a grunt. "Don't waste the time to get me to a hospital."

"If we don't drop you off at one you'll die for sure." I snapped. "That miracle of yours isn't going to last forever."

"Aren't you going to call Jumin?"

"To warn him?"

"Yeah. When we get to the nearest hospital I will. We don't have our phones right now. I'm just afraid that warning him won't be enough." I muttered.

"So what's your plan?" Vanderwood asked as traffic moved forward a little.

"Plan?" I asked with a scoff. "I don't have one."

"You're joking."

"Nope." I replied nonchalantly, as my fingers gripped the wheel tightly.

"You better hope there's a guardian angel looking out for you." Vanderwood grunted. Despite myself, I grinned.

"I am."

We pulled over at the closest hospital, about an hour later. Vanderwood was barely awake now, his eyelids closed as we stopped at the emergency entrance. After parking the car I walked over to the door on his side and opened it.

"Are we there?" Vanderwood muttered.

"Yeah. You're going to be okay." I muttered, glancing at his wound. He was in bad shape. His shirt was plastered to his chest from blood, water, and sweat. I continued. "After this is all over, I'll come back here to pick you up."

"If you don't die."

"Yeah, well don't count on it." I said as paramedics eased him up on a stretcher.

"You can do this Luciel." He muttered, eyeing me. "Don't let my training go to waste." I nodded, watching as they wheeled him away.

"Vanderwood!" I called out finally. His head tilted slightly in my direction.

"Thanks for everything. I mean it." I added. He smiled.

"Go get em kid."

* * *

Nurses and doctors scurried across the hospital floor. The building reeked of antibiotics, a smell that always made me rather uncomfortable. I arrived at the front desk. A young woman glanced at my dirty clothes and then at me.

"Hello, do you need something?"

"Can I use the phone?" I asked. She nodded and gestured to the phone on the counter, turning away. After picking it up, I dialed Jumin's number and waited, tapping my foot. No one picked up of course. I muttered impatiently under my breath and then called up Jaehee, who also was not picking up. Grimacing, I dialed Kao's number and waited silently. Nothing. Zen and Yoosung weren't picking up either. Why? There was no reason they would all be busy right now. Had Mint Eye cut their lines off? I swallowed nervously and left a message for Jumin, just in case. He would know what to do.

"Sir, are you sure you don't need anything?" The woman asked cautiously.

"Yes, I'm fine." I said quickly, turning around so my back faced her. I dialed the police-my final effort.

"Hello?"

"Hi." I replied, tense.

"Do you have an emergency?"

"Yes."

"Please wait, I'll patch you through." I continued to wait until I heard another voice.

"Yes?"

"At seven in the evening tonight, there will be an attack on the Grand Hilton Hotel in Seoul during a fundraiser. I need you to be ready to apprehend the offenders and protect those inside." I said under my breath.

"Excuse me, who are you?"

"Please be there." I said shortly. "This is no joke."

"Sir, please state your name and-" I put the phone down abruptly and gave a quick nod to the woman before hurrying down the hallway.

* * *

Kao's POV-

6:00 p.m

One hour before the Fundraiser.

I stared at myself in the mirror. The midnight blue halter dress curved around me nicely. The lower folds of the dress faded into a lighter blue, creating a beautiful gradient across the fabric. It looked very similar to the one I had worn for the dinner party, when Seven had been with us. I took out my braid, letting my hair fall on my back. I didn't even know what I was dressing up for at this point. Fundraiser aside, now that Seven was gone, it felt like there was no point. I swallowed and then turned away from my reflection.

After Jaehee had told me about my supposed "parents," I had politely told everyone that I needed some time to myself, and locked myself in my room. Even now, I didn't know whether to believe it or not. It added up of course, all of it. But there was a part of me that wanted to forget about all of this, to crawl under my bed and hide from the world. I bit my lip as I checked my phone. Jaehee had sent me ten missed messages. I would have to confront her eventually, I would be seeing her soon. I sighed, preparing myself before I exited my room.

Yoosung, Zen, and Jaehee were chatting in the living room. As soon as I entered, they turned to stare at me. Yoosung was wearing a black suit and bowtie, his typically messy blonde hair was smoothed down and the hairpins he usually wore were gone. He waved at me cheerfully. Next to him, Zen stood, leaning against the wall and nodded at me. He wore a white suit with a tie that hung loosely from his neck. His sleeves were casually rolled up and his hair was as stylish as it usually was. Jaehee was wearing a slick black evening gown with a black purse in hand. Above the hemline of her dress, was a gorgeous crystal necklace. I noticed, with a start, that her glasses were gone. I could tell they were all glad to see me.

"You ready for the party?!" Yoosung asked, excited.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I said with a forced laugh. "You all look amazing."

"As do you, my lady." Zen said with a bow. I jokingly bowed back.

"Onwards!" Yoosung called out excitedly. "To the fundraiser!" Zen and Yoosung hurried out of the apartment. Jaehee and I trailed behind them as we made our way to the limo.

"Kao, about your parents-"

"It's fine." I said quickly. "I don't really want to talk about it right now. Maybe when all of this is over."

"I meant," Jaehee said slowly. "Sorry for springing all of that up on you. I know that dealing with Mint Eye was stressful."

"Oh." I replied. "Yeah. But thanks for helping me with everything."

"I was glad to help. I made a compiled list of all of our research about Mint Eye. I hope by the end of this, we'll have enough to convict them, or at least make them more suspicious."

"You think we'll be able to?" I asked.

"They're a high class organization, they'd be furious if they knew this even existed, but it's worth the risk. They can't continue hurting people." I nodded.

"Did you put it in a safe place?"

"I did." She responded with a swift nod of her head. "No one but me will be able to find it."

"Good." Jaehee and I got into the limo and shut the door. I released a long sigh.

"Let's just try to enjoy the fundraiser. We've been working on it for a while, and I really want to see it go well." I said finally.

"I believe it will." Jaehee added. "What could possibly go wrong?" We exchanged smiles before Zen turned around in his seat.

"What are you ladies whispering about?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about." Jaehee said reassuringly before her attention moved to the driver. "Take us to the Grand Hilton Hotel." The man nodded and the limo began to move forward.

Nearly fifteen minutes had passed before Yoosung rolled down his window and stuck his head outside.

"Guys, look!" The hotel rose up before us. It consisted of multiple different buildings, all with unique structures of their own. As we drove up the main road, we caught eye of a curved building to the left of us that sat on a hill. Specks of gold lit up the grass it sat on like fireflies. As I peered closer I could see that they were little garden lights. The building itself consisted of glass walls that were illuminated against the darkening, apricot sky. The glass curved to create a dome-like shape. It glistened beautifully. As we passed it, the main building loomed up before us. It was gigantic. I could spot every tiny, individual window. Large yellow spotlights were frozen in place over its walls.

"Wow…" I said finally. "I've always caught glimpse of it from far away, but I've never been here up close."

"We've always had the fundraiser here!" Yoosung chirped excitedly. "Rika was friends with one of the managers, so we could always book it whenever we had an event."

"It's a very luxurious hotel." Jaehee added. I nodded slowly as we pulled up beneath it and got out.

Women in sparkling dresses and satin gowns walked inside the doors, accompanied by men in sharp suits and tuxedos. I timidly fingered the folds of my own dress, feeling out of place in this pristine, perfect environment. But my friends strolled forward like they belonged, and without thinking, I followed them inside.

The inside of the hotel was just as luxurious, if not more. The tiles were ivory marble, and they reflected the tiny yellow lights that were sprinkled on the ceiling. In the middle of the large room was a marble fountain with translucent water trickling down it's sides. Jaehee led us past the front desk and into an elevator at the back of the lobby.

"It's so pretty." I said finally, not knowing what else to say. Yoosung nodded passionately.

"Mr. Han and V will meet us upstairs." Jaehee added as she pressed a button. I shivered at the sound of V's name, but clasped my hands tightly together and stayed silent. _It would all be fine._ I thought. _Just act like you're fine._ The elevator rose up, and within a few minutes we arrived at another floor and the doors opened.

From what I could tell, we had arrived at the main dining lounge. My mouth fell open. It was absolutely dazzling. On the far side of the room, were gigantic windows that spanned across the wall. They were tinted a deep cerulean blue, and in them, I could see the magnificent skyline. The golden lights that were embedded in the walls and floors, cast a breathtaking glow on the chocolate colored wood. On the ceiling, hung large sapphire tinted lights that were shaped like large ice cubes and hung from one another. The tables and chairs were caramel colored, and on each of them was a small flickering candle. In the front of the room was a small stage with a microphone on it.

"You guys set this up?" Yoosung asked, astonished.

"I didn't think it would look this good." I admitted as I observed the decorations.

"Late as per usual I see." Jumin strolled up beside us and nodded.

"My apologies Mr. Han. They took longer than expected to get ready." Jaehee replied with an apologetic bow.

"There are so many guests here." Zen observed, surprised. "Wasn't the plan for this to be a small fundraiser because it was Kao's first one?"

"I didn't think so many people would show up." Jumin added, pleased. He directed his gaze to me. "This is doable correct? I apologize for not informing you of the sheer number early on." I nodded numbly.

"I'll manage."

"This is SO EXCITING!" Yoosung squealed as he jumped up and down. "Our first fundraiser in two years!"

"Did he drink already?" Jumin inquired calmly. Despite myself, I stifled a laugh. Yoosung pouted.

"I don't think so." Jaehee glanced at the blonde. "Yoosung, did you drink any alcohol in the limo?"

"Shut up!" Yoosung snapped before he gaped at the buffet at the end of the room. Lobster, marinara, vegetable stir fry, caviar, and several other dishes of steaming food sat behind a large pane of glass. Yoosung made a strange sound and hurried over to it. He put his hands on the glass and stared at the food inside.

"He definitely drank something." Zen and I said simultaneously. We exchanged a grin.

"Where is V anyways?" I asked quickly.

"I'm not sure. He was supposed to be here several minutes ago but I haven't seen him. He hasn't been answering any of my messages either." Replied Jumin.

"Strange." Jaehee added.

"Anyways, he'll probably show up soon." Jumin glanced at his watch, "The speech is going to begin in fifteen minutes or so. Guests are still coming in, so if you would like to welcome them that would be appreciated."

"Of course." Jaehee said.

"But I wanna eat." I whispered, half to myself.

Zen smirked at me. "Guests come first. You should know this." I was about to reply before his stomach growled loudly and he looked down and then away.

"Yeah? So should you Zen." I said sarcastically.

"That was Yoosung." Zen replied quickly.

"Yoosung is halfway across the room."

"Exactly."

"Let's. Greet. The guests." Jaehee said slowly as she gripped both of us by our shoulders and pushed us towards the door.

* * *

I stood awkwardly next to the entrance that lead into the dining room. Jaehee and Zen were a few steps next to me. They smiled and greeted the guests that calmly strolled into the room. I occasionally waved at a few of them but then jumped a little when they looked at me. Across from me, I could see Jaehee nod and respond to a guest before gesturing to Zen and smiling a little as the woman squealed. Zen flashed the guest a sly grin and kissed her hand. Zen and Jaehee were great with people, I noticed with a start. For obvious reasons of course, Zen being an actor and Jaehee having to constantly deal with Jumin and her coworkers. And if she could handle Jumin, she could handle anyone. I on the other hand wasn't best with people, especially strangers. But I was part of this organization now.

Involuntarily, I walked next to Zen and smiled at a guest who greeted me politely. We shook hands and he walked past me into the dining room. I released the breath I had been holding. Zen was staring at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Having difficulties?" Zen asked finally.

"A little." I admitted. "I'm still getting used to this people thing. But it's hard when there's so many."

"Soon you'll be a natural." He reassured me. I scoffed.

"That's easy for you to say." I said sheepishly. "You're brave. You can go up on a stage or on television and do what you do best without a care. I could never do that." Zen was silent as he shook hands with a guest. Finally, he replied.

"Actually, when I first started acting I was so worried of what people would think of me." He said. " I...I thought that the only reason I was popular was because of my looks. And that I wasn't good enough." He paused. "No, I still do think that sometimes. But Kao, when you get up on that stage, you make the choice to be there. And once you take that step, you can't go back. Once that spotlight is on you, you know that everything you say, that everything you do, will receive a reaction, whether you like it or not. And that's terrifying. But that's also exciting. Because you have that much power in your hands." He looked at me. "And no one can stop you." I was silent for a little.

"I...kinda get it? I guess." He laughed warmly.

"Yeah, well I'm sure you'll understand eventually."

"And Zen?"

"Hm?"

"I think you're an amazing actor and incredibly skilled." I added. "And not just because of your looks." He blinked and then grinned.

"Thanks Kao."

* * *

Jumin's POV

"Sir!" I turned around slowly, irritated that one of my men had interrupted me from my conversation. They typically knew better.

"Please excuse me." I said politely. The woman beside me nodded and turned away to another guest beside her. "What." I snapped.

"It's the police."

"Again?" I sighed and walked away, snapping the black gloves on my hand impatiently. "Same thing I assume."

"Correct sir. They said that they received yet another warning call and would like for you to take the proper precautions."

"I've been planning this for the past several months, making sure it was safe." I said coldly, glancing at him. My impatience was becoming a string that was about to snap. The man shriveled slightly under my gaze. "I have eyes everywhere in the city and dozens of trained professional men here. I don't think bringing a couple of _police_ officers will do much good. Not to mention it would cause a disturbance and completely ruin the fundraiser, something that we've all been building to for the past two years."

"Y-Yes sir."

"If they call again don't bother to answer." I added calmly as I glanced at the man, I didn't recognize him. _Strange._ I walked away, making a personal note to fire him later on.

"Lee." I said quietly. A tall, bald man dressed in a black suit turned towards me.

"Yes Mr. Han?"

"I want you be on guard and tell me if anything looks suspicious. Anything at all."

"Another police call?" He inquired. I nodded. "Are you sure it's best to ignore them?" He questioned. "There are so many people here. If something were to go wrong-"

"We've had calls like these in the past." I added. "All pranks of course. And I doubt this is anything different."

"Then, pardon my rudeness sir, but why are you so pale?" He asked. I froze and then cleared my throat and stared at him.

"I am always quite pale, Lee." He nodded slowly, still unconvinced.

"Very well."

* * *

Seven's POV

6:53 p.m

4 minutes until the start of the fundraiser.

I sped down the dark highway. I grit my teeth as I switched lanes, narrowly dodging a Prius that honked angrily. I was so close to the hotel. It was only a few minutes away. The highway made a sharp turn and turned into a slow loop downwards. I drove around the corner and then skidded to a stop, eyes wide. A large moving line of golden lights and cars were lined up in front of me. Traffic.

My hands gripped the wheel tightly.

Kao's POV

7:05 p.m

The fundraiser had officially started and the long stream of people began to lessen. Zen, Jaehee, and I shuffled through the main doors. We walked to the buffet and filled our plates with steaming food before joining Yoosung at a large reserved table at the front. A large stage was in situated in front us and blue velvet curtains were closed over the back of it. We eagerly whispered, rehearsing parts of our speech that we had prepared.

"I'm so excited!" I cooed. My nervousness had been replaced with a bubbling ball of energy and excitement. Yoosung on the other hand was sweating and shaking.

"I-I-I don't feel good." He clutched his stomach.

"Yeah, maybe because you ate three plates of lobster." Zen said with a shake of his head. "Idiot."

"A-And cheese curds!" Yoosung pointed out, belching loudly and attracting the gazes of a few guests around us.

"Pretend like you don't know him." Jaehee whispered.

"Hey!" Yoosung snapped. Before any of us could reply, the lights in the room dimmed slightly, as if we were in a theatre. The blue curtains opened and a light followed Jumin as he walked on stage. I stared at him in awe.

Jumin instilled a kind of presence in the room that was hard to describe. Chills swept down my back as I saw him, illuminated by the golden light that fell onto his jet black hair and eyes. He was proud and confident, and all the whispers in the room immediately ceased as he grabbed the microphone off of it's stand. Zen fidgeted beside me and I could sense his annoyance.

"Thank you everyone for coming. I admit that I'm both surprised and pleased by this turnout, and I would like to reassure you all that your evening will not be wasted." He paused. "As most of you know, in the past we have held fundraisers before. And most of them had been extremely successful. We have raised thousands of dollars for societies that needed those funds. But...two years ago our leader passed away and we were forced to stop holding them. Her name was Rika. And she was one of my closest friends." Yoosung, who was beside me, swallowed. Jumin continued.

"I won't go into much detail of her now, but I can say with confidence that she was one of the kindest, most talented people I had ever met. And I would not be the same man today without her. When she passed away, we were all miserable and lost. It was as if the sun in our lives had suddenly disappeared forever, and we thought that we would never hold a fundraiser again. However, we recently met someone to help fill that void and allow us to continue helping others." His obsidian eyes flicked to mine and I blinked.

"She is very different from Rika." He added. "And at first, I'll admit that I didn't like that difference. But I think that is what makes her special. I think that her uniqueness filled the gap from Rika's death and allowed us to continue." I swallowed, my chest tightening. "And I don't think I say it quite enough. But I want to thank her for that. For dealing with all of us. And all of our quirks." Jumin smiled warmly at me and I stared at him silently, surprised and also flattered. I had not heard his opening speech, and I did not think it would be so profound.

"It's like he won an Oscar or something." Zen muttered. "Always so fancy."

"I would like to welcome her onto the stage." He gestured towards me and the light moved onto myself, blinding my surroundings. I blinked rapidly. Jaehee, Yoosung, and Zen were all smiling at me ardently, waiting for me to go up. I shakily stood up and pushed in my chair before walking on stage. Jumin was waiting for me, he gently pressed the microphone into my hand and nodded before sitting with the others.

I observed the audience. There were so many…people. All glittering and sparkling in their fancy clothes. All staring at me expectantly. All waiting for me to make a perfect, profound speech like Jumin; to speak like I was a river and my words were water, smooth and eloquent. I was frozen to the stage. I wasn't like Jumin. I wasn't like a river. I was a tree, nailed to the ground, unable to move. And suddenly, Zen's words came flowing back to me. ' _But when you get up on that stage, you make the choice to be there. And once you take that step, you can't go back. Once that spotlight is on you, you know that everything you say, that everything you do, will receive a reaction, whether you like it or not. And that's terrifying. But that's also exciting. Because you have that much power in your hands. And no one can stop you.'_ I truly understood what he meant now. Yoosung, Jaehee and Zen gave me the thumbs up. And Jumin was watching me, waiting expectantly. I took a deep breath.

"Hi." I said lamely, waving at the audience. There were a few chuckles and waves back at me and I continued. "My name is Kao, the person Jumin introduced, obviously." I cleared my throat and continued. "I'm not going to give a huge, cheesy speech about how my entire life was changed by joining RFA."I added finally. "Because, even though it's true, I want to talk about the people in it more, and how amazing they are in their own individual way. I'm sure you all know Zen-" I was cut off by a huge cheer of fangirls in the back. Zen winked at me. I laughed a little before continuing.

"I'll be honest. I didn't really know how to talk to Zen at first. Exchanging a few words with someone famous? I could do that. But being friends with them was something I never imagined I could do. But Zen made it easy and he's a lot more than meets the eye. He's given me advice about so many things and he's great at reading into people and their emotions. Without him I don't think I could even be up here today. He's also extremely talented and I'm just really lucky to be friends with him. Thank you." We exchanged a grin.

"I realize now that this might _actually_ be a huge cheesy speech of how my life was changed." I admitted. "Bear with me because there's still four more members to go." More laughter. My gaze shifted to the person next to Zen.

"And then there's Yoosung." He brightened instantly. "I've never had a little sibling

before." I began. "But Yoosung filled that void for me. Around him I can be as childish as I want to and not be judged for it, and he's fun to mess with too." Yoosung pouted and I grinned. "He's the light of the group and can instantly brighten up someone's day just by being there. It's really not the same when he's gone. But he's also very caring and he's reminded me what it means to be a friend. And...I know that he was also very heavily affected by Rika's death." I added solumely. "But I hope that I could help him with that, even if it was just a little." He nodded ecstatically and beamed.

"And of course I can't forget Jumin Han." I added, nodding at him. Jumin set down his glass of wine and waited for me to continue. "Jumin is a very...serious person." I said finally. "A little too serious sometimes if you ask me." There was laughter and he raised an eyebrow. "But he gets things done and has the ability to bring us all together to focus on our task no matter what it is. And the more I got to know Jumin, the more I realized that he wasn't just serious. He could get frustrated, or even playful at times, and content when he's with his cat." _All hail Elizabeth the Third._ I could hear Seven's voice from a distant memory. _She's so cute meow!_ My throat tightened but I continued. "But finally, I would also like to thank him for giving me a chance, because I know I'm nothing like Rika. But he eventually accepted that and I...appreciate it." He raised his glass to me and I smiled before shifting my gaze to Jaehee.

"Of course, there's one of my closest friends, Jaehee Kang." Jaehee smiled a little. "For most of my life I've...always been kind of a loner." I admitted. "I never had close friends, just ones of convenience - people in my class that I would occasionally talk to. I was never brave enough to step out of my shell and talk and open up to others. At least not face to face. As sad as this might be for a twenty two year old, Jaehee Kang was my first close friend. Not because we had similar interests, or because we had matching personalities, but because she was the first person who would sit down with me and listen. I mean truly listen and care about what I had to say. And I don't think we realize how scarce that is. Sure, there will be a person who will nod to what you have to say, but will they really care about it? Will they take the time out of their day genuinely help you with your problem? With no care about their own? Jaehee did. And she still does. Not only is she incredibly mature and responsible, but she's helped me through so many things and she's been my hero." I smiled warmly. "Thank you for that." Jaehee was beaming at me as if I had said the nicest thing anyone had ever told her. And who knows, I might have. There was applause and a few cheers and I continued.

"And there's one more. He couldn't be here tonight but-" I broke off and then continued. "But like the others he's changed me." Jaehee and I locked eyes and she gave me a supportive nod. "Many know him by Seven, and he's one of the funniest people I have ever met. Not only is he hilarious, but he's also extremely talented at nearly everything he does. And he could instantly cheer me up, no matter what. Even if he was just there." I laughed lightly and clenched the microphone tighter so no one could see me tremble. I opened my mouth to continue but then closed it. _But he wasn't here. He had left us all. Without even bothering to come back._

I was about to continue before there was a loud gunshot. There were shocked gasps as guests spun around in their seats, looking from the source of it. I blinked. Jumin abruptly stood up, his chair making a terrible screech on the wooden floor. There was silence. And then another gunshot. There were whimpers in the crowd. Jumin hurriedly grabbed the microphone from me.

"Please stay calm, I'm sure it's just-" And then there was a barrage of gunshots. It was a dreadful sound. I covered my ears and winced as it began to grow louder. There were panicked voices. Guests stood from their tables and tried the doors, shocked to find them locked. Jaehee, Zen, and Yoosung were looking around, terrified. I was able to briefly see Jumin's face. It was pale and afraid. My eyes widened before there was another gunshot and the large chandelure on the ceiling teetered dangerously. I looked up, lips parted. The chain holding it snapped. And then the screams began.

A large cascade of glass and metal shattered on the ground, throwing everyone back. I fell onto the floor, my arms covering my face. I could hear an appalling, high pitched ringing noise. I tried to stand up but then gasped as I saw the cuts on my arm, though I could feel no pain from them. Someone's hands closed around my arm and I struggled before I realized it was Jumin and allowed him to pull me up.

"Kao are you okay?" His voice was muffled, blurred. Hazed, I nodded slowly before coming to my senses. I scanned the room.

It was in chaos. The fallen chandelure had caused a blanket of glass to cover the room. There were guests piling up against the door, banging on it, begging for escape. I could see Jaehee lying on the ground and- Jaehee! My eyes widened as I saw her. She wasn't moving. Zen and Yoosung were shaking her.

"Jaehee!-" I croaked, barely able to get the words out. I began to move towards her but Jumin pulled me back.

"What are you-" I stopped as I looked at him. His eyes were locked in front of me, his lips parted. I looked forward and froze. Men in black swung into the room, shattering the large windows. Cords were connected to their belts. Their faces were masked. They were holding guns. My legs nearly gave out, but somehow I managed to keep standing.

"I don't believe it." He whispered. "Why now?"

"Jumin?" I asked weakly. "What's happening?"

"Kao." He looked at me, his black hair falling over his eyes. "Run."

* * *

Seven's POV

As soon as I reached the hotel I knew immediately that something was wrong. As I pulled to the side of the parking lot and got out I heard a collection of screaming and gunshots.

"Kao." I whispered. If Mint Eye was already here then they would block off the entrance in a matter of seconds. Think. What was the layout of the hotel? I had been here before several times before. I hurried to the back entrance, wincing as I stepped on my ankle. An ugly purple bruise had covered it last I checked, and I didn't even want to know what it looked like now. I just had to deal with it.

The back of the hotel smelled like rotten fish, the source of it obviously coming from the large dumpster next to the back exit. I couldn't have cared less about the alarm system and shattered the window on the door before unlocking it from the inside.

The darkness that greeted me inside was unsettling. The sounds of screaming and gunshots made their way through the hallways, echoing against the walls. I swallowed and then continued. .

After a few painful minutes I realized that I was completely lost. I had wandered into a large lit room with massive windows spanning across the walls. The gunshots hadn't ceased and my ankle had become so painful that I could barely move. What if she was already- No. I told myself. They wouldn't kill her, she was too important to them. But the others, they were in serious danger. I called their names desperately, not caring of the consequences.

"Jumin! Jaehee!" I yelled as loud as I could. The brief silence that fell upon the room was covered up by more gunshots. I doubted they could hear me.

"Zen! Yoosung!" I cried, leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. My vision hazed. "Kao…" I whispered. Exhaustion was getting to me. I hadn't slept in over twenty four hours. I hadn't properly eaten in over three days. And it felt like someone was smashing my ankle with a sledgehammer whenever I put pressure on it. I let out a pained sigh. And what the hell was I thinking? I couldn't be a knight in silver armor. I couldn't even properly save Vanderwood. I had left all of my friends only to come back just now. I grimaced and staggered a little. I could barely put up a fight as it was.

Suddenly I heard something. Doors opening. I grit my teeth, I wasn't in the shape to defend myself. I made an attempt to hide before I heard footsteps on the tiles and looked up. My eyes widened.

* * *

Kao's POV

Earlier

Several things happened at once. The guests broke open the door and several ran through. More men swung through the window and began to shoot. The rest of the guests in the room shrieked and hid behind their tables. And then guards in black came in and tackled the offenders.

"Go go go!" Jumin yelled, pushing me towards the door. Zen and Yoosung were close behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and caught a glance of Jumin throwing Jaehee onto his back. Several guests pushed past me, screaming loudly. I was able to exit the room and get into the corridor before I was barraged with people. Zen took my hand and yanked me forward, pulling me through the crowd. Yoosung was holding his other one, a terrified look on his face. My heart beat was pounding in my ears. It felt like a drum pulsating through my head, a destructive melody to serenade with the gunshots and screaming. I grasped Zen's hand tighter. My vision became more and more blocked as guests rose up above me like a wall, covering everything else up. I couldn't see my friends. I could only feel Zen's hand, which was my only connection to him. I looked around for his white hair but it was gone. And then I felt his hand slip from mine. I spun around, completely submerged by the guests.

"Zen! Yoosung!" I yelled. My cries were instantly drowned by the chaos. Panic began to well up inside of me. "Where-" I was cut off as a large man shoved past me and I lost my balance, tumbling to the ground. A pair of heels stabbed my arm as a woman ran past me. Grimacing, I hurriedly stood up and stumbled forward.

The mass of panic began to unclog as we entered a large room. I let out a breath as the shoulders next to me began to move away and I could get a clear look at my surroundings. In front of us were large windows that spanned across the room. Unaware of the chaos, the rest of Seoul stood in the evening, glistening and breathtaking. A large staircase led down to a lower platform where people were swarming. I searched the crowd for my friends. Any of them. But to no avail. There were gunshots behind me, I froze and looked over my shoulder.

The door to the dining room had been barricaded once more. Guards had their backs up against it, preventing it from opening on the other side. But it was fruitless, after a few more seconds the door was kicked down. My eyes widened as men with guns stomped inside, shooting at the guards who attacked them. I began to shake uncontrollably. Was this a nightmare? Some kind of punishment? One of the men kicked away a guard and then turned to look at me. Their face was masked but I could see their eyes. Pitiless black pits. I froze, terrified. And then I turn and ran.

The chaos faded slightly as I sprinted down another corridor, but no matter how far I got it was still pounding in my ears. After a few seconds I rounded a corner and then gasped to catch my breath. And then I heard something. A voice. My head instinctively turned towards it, as if I was in a trance. At first I thought it was from a dream, or a memory because it was so familiar yet so distant. But when I really listened, I knew exactly who's voice it was. Seven's.

My mind was completely wiped blank. The chaos melted away and my worries faded. I could only hear his voice.

 _It was_ _Seven._

I hurried through the corridor, trying to find the source of his voice. "Seven!" I screamed. I didn't care if it would draw attention to me. I didn't care if he heard it. "Seven! Where are you?!" But there was no answer. With grit teeth, I continued down the hallway.

* * *

Seven's POV

For a moment I thought I was in one of my dreams. The dreams where I would look at my past and the people I loved, so as not to forget them. He was standing right in front of me and his emerald, mint green eyes peered back in mild surprise. His face was so familiar and yet so different at the same time. The warmth in it was gone, but it was still him. He was here.

"Well this is a surprise." He said slowly.. I froze. His voice was...distant. It wasn't warm and endearing. It was cold and...cynical. "Hello brother." He said as he gave me a unfeeling smile. "I'll admit that I didn't expect to see you here."

* * *

I already have some of the next chapter written so it'll be posted fairly soon I hope. Thanks for reading! Please favorite, follow, or leave a review if you can!


	13. The Fundraiser (Part 2)

Chapter 13- The Fundraiser (Pt 2)

Me: ...

* * *

Seven's POV

"Saeran…?" His name escaped my lips. Perhaps I had gone unconscious from the pain and my brother had come to see me. But as I took a step forward, a searing stab shot through my ankle and I cried out. I realized with a start that this wasn't a dream. Not at all. I glanced at him once more. He had changed his hair color completely and the crimson red I once remembered was gone. He wore a long black jacket and black pants decked with knives. My eyes widened when I saw a gun on his belt. He smiled at me and I continued, trying to ignore it.

"You're...alive? How? Why are you here?"

"Aww, that's the first thing you say?" Saeran questioned, almost offended. "How about it's good to see you? Or...I missed you sooo much." He cooed. I frowned, something was wrong with him.

"I...I don't understand…" I whispered. "What happened to you? I thought you were dead. They told me you were gone."

"Of course they did." Saeran replied simply, as if it was the most blatant thing in the world.

"I missed you." I whispered. "I can't believe you're alive." I had thought my brother had been dead for the past several years, and now he just suddenly shows up better than ever? In the middle of all this? What was I supposed to say? How was I supposed to react? I tried to move towards him but the frigid look on his face made me stop.

"I was...saved." He said in a contemplative tone.

"Saved?"

"That's right."

"Saeran," I soothed. "I can help you. But you have to leave right now, it's incredibly dangerous here-"

"I know." He said calmly. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"If you know then...you have to get out of here."

"Hmmm…." He paused. "Nope." I frowned.

"Saeran are you listening to me?"

"Yep."

"Then-" He sighed, as if almost bored and then pulled down the shoulder of his jacket, revealing his bare shoulder. My eyes hesitated on his face and then flicked to his bare skin. I froze. The symbol of the organization I despised was inked onto it, as pale and prominent as it could possibly be. A large single sinister eye. Mint Eye.

"That's not-" I stopped. "That's not possible."

"But it is." He drawled. "It's right here."

"What are you doing here?" I whispered.

"You know, this is really quite great." He observed, ignoring my question. "I didn't expect you to be here. I heard you broke in and expected you had died during the escape. But you _are_ here! And now you can watch our debut." He lifted his arms and gestured to the rest of the building. "Our debut to the rest of the world." Dread filled me and a chill swept across my skin as the realization settled. I took a step back slowly. My brother was really part of it. Part of Mint Eye. The organization that had caused so much pain in my life. But how was that possible? I shook my head, numb. He pulled out a gun from his belt and stared at me, his lips curling into a smile. Then, suddenly, we heard a painfully familiar voice, a cry. It was close. Close enough to hear over the muffled gunshots. My eyes instantly snapped away and my heart thudded violently. I knew that voice. Kao.

Oh no.

Slowly, my eyes slid back to his. I could tell from the recognition in his eyes—he knew her. Somehow, he knew who she was. Fear crept up inside of me.

"Ohhhh. There she is." He said softly. His fingers trailed across the side of his gun slowly. "I was wondering if she would show up."

"Saeran." I said carefully.

"Yes, dear brother?"

"Please."

"Please what?"

"Don't hurt her. Don't hurt any of them."

"You mean your precious friends?" My brother hissed. His eyes narrowed ominously. "The people you abandoned me for?"

"I didn't abandon you!" I shouted. "That's a lie and you know it!" Saeran scrunched up his nose as he observed me with a look of disgust.

"And now you act as if you love her." He said slowly. I was silent. "It kind of makes me want to just-" He paused and unlocked the safety on his gun. "Take it all away from you." He finished with a smile. I could feel sweat slowly trickle down my neck as I took a step back. He was unstable—too unstable. I didn't know if I could fix it.

"Saeran. You're better than this." I whispered.

"You want to know what I went through?" Saeran asked, gesturing to me weakly with his gun. He laughed a little. "You want to know what I endured?" I opened my mouth to reply but he continued.

"Pain." He said. "So much pain. And it's all your fault! It's all your fault and that-that V!" Saeran yelled, outraged. "They found me because of him! Because you trusted him! And they took me! And they tortured me! They tortured me until I couldn't feel pain anymore! Until I couldn't feel anything anymore!" Saeran screamed, his hand was trembling now as he waved the gun around. "But I kept going! Because I knew that you were waiting for me! Next thing I find out is that you've not only forgotten all about me, but never even made an attempt to find me!"

"That's a lie!" I yelled, my hands clenched into fists. "When I got out, they told me you had killed yourself! But I never stopped thinking about you! You were the reason I started to view myself as something other than the son of a worthless woman! You were the reason I could pull myself through all the times I thought I couldn't bear to live-"

"THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU FIND ME?!" Saeran screamed. "You think I care that they told you I died? I don't! Because if I was in that situation, and if they told me that YOU had died, I would have never stopped looking for you!"

"I-"

"Because you were all I had then." Saeran said, his voice calming considerably. "You were my father, my best friend, and my brother all at once." He whispered. "I always thought you'd be there to rescue me, like you did with mom. But now I realize that I should have never hoped you would." Saeran stopped walking forward. "Because if I had, I would have been able to forget about you much faster." His arm came up as he put the gun to my forehead. "Although it'd be much less satisfying to kill you."

My eyes widened as I saw his face. Unfeeling. His eyes were unfathomable dark pits as his finger began to pull back the trigger. _No._ I didn't want to die. That old fear came up inside me once more, like black smoke that took my heart in it's clutches and squeezed until I couldn't breath. _Do something._ I was frozen to the ground, my heart pounding against my chest. _Move._

And then the doors opened.

* * *

Kao's POV

I ran through the hallways, opening every door, searching every room. _He was here. He had to be._ The screams and shrieks in the lobby were now muffled as I sprinted across the carpet. A large door stood at the end of the hallway. A feeling of dread washed over me as I hurriedly burst through it.

In front of me was a large, dark room. I could see the rest of Seoul from the vast windows that outlined the walls. There it stood, unaware of the chaos within the hotel. I saw two figures in the dim light, one with their back to me, the other blocked completely. The figure glanced over their shoulder and observed me, silent. Their hair was a familiar white that had been brushed aside. However, their green eyes were unfamiliar, stricken with madness.

It was Jeong.

He laughed a little, a grin splitting his face.

"There you are. I was wondering when you'd show up." He said happily. I stared at him and backed into the walls behind me.

"Jeong…?" I asked softly. "What are you-"

"Welcome." He said with a little bow. When I saw a gun in his hand I froze. "You must forgive me, I was getting a little...bored so I sped everything up." He stepped aside with a slow smile. "But now that you're here, there's no need for that now, is there?"

The second person in the room, who I could not see before, was Seven. He was leaning against the wall, breathing heavily. He looked up at me and his eyes widened. A flicker of relief could be seen in them and then panic. He appeared to be in pain. Blood trickled down his forehead and his red hair was messy and unkempt. I saw that his glasses were gone. I stared at him, astonished, wondering if he was really there, or if he was just a mirage.

"Seven?" I asked softly.

"Get out of here Kao." Seven said with grit teeth. The harshness of the statement bit into me like glass and I took a step back.

"Awww. Don't be mean to poor wittle Kao." Jeong sang, strolling over to me and grabbing me by the shoulder, I jumped.

"Get away from her." Seven hissed, there was venom and hatred in his voice. Something was very wrong. I tried pushing away from Jeong but his hand stayed firmly on my shoulder as he guided me towards Seven.

"Don't listen to him." Jeong whispered to me. "He gets a little nervous and dishonest around those he...likes." I shivered as his breath brushed my ear.

"Get away from me." I said finally. "Please."

"Nobody likes poor Saeran today." Jeong said, his hand slowly lifting off my skin. _Saeran? Who was Saeran?_

"Seven, what's going on?" I asked softly. My eyes slid to Seven who said nothing as he winced and clutched his side. I hurried towards him, flinching when I saw the blood on his jacket. "Oh my god." I whispered. "What happened to you?"

"Please." Seven whispered. "Please leave, you have to go."

"I can't." I replied adamantly. "You're hurt. I can't leave you."

"He'll kill you Kao." Seven said quietly with a pained expression. "Please." My breath hitched and I shook my head grasping his hand.

"I let you leave before. I'm not leaving you again."

"Kao-"

"No." I said. "Get on my back, we're getting out of here."

"Please." Seven muttered. I grabbed his arms and hauled him on my back with a grunt, staggering under his weight.

"My, how heroic." Jeong slurred, observing us with lowered eyelids.

"What did you do to him." I hissed.

"I didn't do anything." Jeong said innocently. "We just had a niiiice chat."

"Why are you here?" I demanded. "Answer me."

"Oh my. So scary." Jeong whispered as he pointed his gun at me. I didn't flinch. Jeong was silent before he let his arm fall next to his side.

"Boo. You're no fun Kao."

"Why are you here?" I asked once more.

"He's part of Mint Eye. He's also my brother." Seven whispered. I froze and Jeong grinned.

"Oh? Did I never tell you?" He chuckled. "I'm a good actor aren't I? That whole innocent thing was pretty fun, I must admit."

"You're joking." I said quietly. "You?"

"Yeah." Jeong said calmly. "Me."

"But you-"

"You're too trusting Kao. That's your problem." Jeong took a few steps toward me as I took a few back. "You can't help but instinctively trust anyone who has a common interest. It was so easy to convince you...a little disappointing actually." He shrugged. "Guess I was expecting more." I stared at him, trembling.

"Why?" I asked finally.

"Why what?"

"Why did you…"

"Lie?" Jeong finished calmly. "Cause it was fun." Anger flooded through my veins.

"It was...fun?" I asked. "Fun? Do you have any idea what I've been through the last couple of days?"

"I don't care." Jeong replied nonchalantly. "Besides, I don't think you understand the position you're in, Kao."

"Oh I understand perfectly well." I hissed. "I understand that you're a psychotic bastard and I was stupid to trust you." Jeong clicked his tongue impatiently.

"No. You don't understand." He said finally, briskly walking to me and putting his gun to my forehead. He leaned in, his emerald eyes glinting with entertainment and a little bit of something else I couldn't pinpoint. "I could kill you right now." He muttered, mainly to himself. "That man is out of the way now. I could do whatever I want."

"What man." I asked. Jeong narrowed his eyes and leaned back, ignoring my question.

"But killing you right away is no fun."

"You're not going to get away with this, you know." I carefully took a few steps towards the door. Jeong watched me, amused.

"Jumin has reinforcements and they've already called the police." I continued, trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Everyone in Mint Eye will be captured, and we'll be rescued." Jeong threw his head back and burst out laughing.

"You're so naive. You really think we would be stupid enough to just barge in here and not think of the consequences?"

"That's what it looks like." I replied with grit teeth.

"We don't want to _kill_ everyone. If we did, you'd all be dead already." Jeong said with a grin. "We've been waiting years for this day. We've calculated every possibility, everything that could go wrong. And believe me, right now _everything_ is on track." I stared at Jeong, challenging him. Hatred was bubbling through me. I had trusted this person, believed that they were on my side. And now they were dangling that trust in front of me, enjoying as it slowly shriveled up and died.

"There's a knife at his belt." Seven whispered, so softly that only I could hear him. "When he comes close to you again I need you to drop me, grab it, and stab him. " _Stab him._ The idea of doing that terrified me.

"I know this will be difficult. You've never had to hurt anyone before. But he won't let us go alive."

"I don't know if I can do this." I whispered shakily.

"You're doing great." Seven said quietly. Jeong was oblivious to our conversation, still obsessed with his explanation.

"By the end of this, Mint Eye will be known as one of the most dangerous organizations in Korea. No, the world." Jeong continued as he came closer to me, his gun at his side.

"Now." Seven whispered. I let Seven slide to the ground as I dove for Jeong and reached for the knife at his belt. He wasn't expecting it. His breath hitched as I yanked the knife out and stabbed him in the leg. Jeong roared in pain as he grabbed me and threw me against the wall. I cried out as I limply fell to the floor. My vision blurred as I blinked rapidly. I looked up with a grunt, expecting to see Jeong standing over me with his gun over my head. But he wasn't. He wasn't looking at me at all. He was engaged in combat with Seven.

I watched in awe as Seven sprinted towards Jeong, jumped, and then kicked him, his foot connecting with his chest. Jeong stumbled backwards and snarled, grabbing Seven's leg and throwing him over his back. _Seven could still move?_ I let out a breath as they fought and realized with a start that the entire time Seven had been acting. He had gotten Jeong to lower his guard so when he was off balance he could attack. Even with his injuries he was still amazing.

Seven fell onto the tiles noiselessly. He flipped onto his side as Jeong shot into the floor where he had been a split second ago. Using the opportunity, Seven swung his leg and tripped his opponent. Jeong fell onto the floor but recovered his balance quickly, rolling on the ground and aiming at Seven once more before pulling the trigger. Seven dodged the bullet and threw a punch, which his opponent blocked with his forearm. Without hesitation, Jeong grabbed Seven's arm and wrapped it around his back, restricting him. With a kick, he sent Seven flying onto the floor.

"Seven-" I started towards him.

"I've got this Kao." Seven muttered, not looking at me as he shakily stood up and rubbed his back. Jeong observed us, almost bored. "Get out of here and go get Jumin. Bring guards back here."

"No." I said. He stared at me blankly. "I'm not leaving you." I hissed. "I won't. Seven I'm so sorry." I whispered. "I made you leave before because I pushed you, I couldn't hold myself back and I hurt you. I can't imagine what you've been through in the last couple of days and I don't know why you came back, but-" I paused and wiped the sweat off my forehead. "I'm...I'm so happy you did." I looked at him, determined. "I won't leave you again." Seven was silent, an astonished expression on his face.

"You…" He sighed. "I'm no match for you." Jeong laughed a little. We both glanced at him.

"How cute." He cooed. "It must be nice to be in love. Go on." He waved his gun. "Finish, I want to see this." Seven's eyes narrowed at him but he glanced at me once more.

"If you're going to stay," He said softly as he walked over to me. "Then you'll need this." He pressed the dagger I had stabbed Jeong with into my palm. I stared at it and then at him and took it with trembling hands.

"Oh? Is wittle Kao going to fight me?" Jeong slurred. I looked at him evenly, gripping the dagger tightly. I didn't want to use it. I didn't want to use such a vulgar weapon, even if it meant protecting others, but I had no choice. "Hmm?" Jeong smiled a little. "I'll get rid of the gun and fight you fairly on one condition." His eyes slid to Seven. "I fight her by myself."

"Absolutely not-"

"Fine." I interjected. Seven looked at me incredulously.

"Kao you can't fight him, he's a trained assassin-"

"No, no, she's made her choice." Jeong grinned, almost giddy, as if he was a child who had just gotten a new toy. He carelessly threw his gun over his shoulder and it spun on the floor. I swallowed.

"Kao!" Seven's eyes were filled with fear. "You can't beat him, he's incredibly strong-"

"And you can't either!" I yelled. His breath hitched. "Yes I know how tired you are!" I shouted. "No matter how much you try to hide it, I know you can barely move right now, and I won't let him kill you! I know I'm weak, I know that!" I looked away, breathless. "But I have to try."

"Yes, listen to Kao." Jeong walked around us like a lion circling his prey. "Go on." Seven's jaw clenched. He looked back and forth between us. I nodded. Slowly, Seven backed away. He was in pain, I could tell, both emotionally and physically, but he was believing in me and he was giving me a chance. I looked back at Jeong who raised an eyebrow expectantly. "I'll let you take the first shot." He said. I took a deep breath and sprinted towards him, my dagger in hand. He calmly dodged the first swipe and another and then another. I grit my teeth as he grabbed my arm and spun me so my back was against his chest and his arm was around my neck. Seven swore and started towards me but Jeong interrupted him.

"This is between me and her." Jeong said cooly "If you take another step forward I'll slit her throat." Seven swallowed and stopped. I grimaced as Jeong bent next to me, his white hair tickling my neck.

"I'll admit, you're a lot...braver than I expected. Bravo on that." He whispered. "So fiesty."

"Why." I said softly. Jeong said nothing. "Why did you do all that, spy on me, act as if you were my friend?"

"I had to keep an eye on you." Jeong said finally. "That was the most entertaining way to do it."

"No." I replied. "No, I don't believe you. Yes, you had to keep an eye on me, but I don't think that's why you acted the way you did." Jeong was silent. I could hear my heart thudding in my ears. "I think you acted like that because you were interested in me. You were curious about me, if you wanted to keep your eyes on me you never had to introduce yourself to me. You didn't have to be so nice, so friendly."

"I don't understand your point." Jeong snarled.

"You're not a terrible person." I hissed. "I believe that. Perhaps you're misguided, extremely. But when we were together you weren't completely fake. I saw it in your eyes. I think you genuinely enjoyed yourself."

"Look at you." Jeong laughed. "Trying to convince me how I feel."

"Yes." I said, grimacing as his throat pressed against my windpipe.

"Must be pretty desperate."  
"...Yes." My vision began to darken as I gasped for air. It hurt. I grabbed Jeong's arm and tried to push him away but he didn't budge. "I don't know your past with Seven." I croaked. "I don't know why you two hate each other. I don't know anything, I'm naive, I'm stubborn, and I can be selfish. But I enjoyed myself too." I whispered. "I don't care how stupid this sounds to you, but I did enjoy myself when I was with you. The night that we ate at that restaurant, I felt so happy, so blissful. That was actually the first time I had been on a date with a guy before." I whispered. "I never...I couldn't do that in high school because my family was going through hard times. My father he...he got amnesia when I was younger. Eventually he couldn't remember any of us."

"Why are you telling me this." He growled.

"It broke my mother." I said with a sob. "She couldn't truly believe that he was gone, she thought-she thought he could come back. That if she opened her eyes he would be the same old, goofy, stupid dad. He never did, and it ruined her! But you-you're not gone Jeong!" I cried. "You didn't lose your memories, you're not incapable of coming back. You have a choice! You have a choice and I know it's hard, I know you may not want to, but you can come back! The smile that I saw wasn't fake, it was real! All those times you showed me kindness they weren't all for Mint Eye, they were because you were curious, you wanted to know what it was like to feel! Please…" I sobbed. Seven was staring at us, wide eyed and silent. Jeong said nothing. I closed my eyes, knowing that I was going to die. He pushed me down onto the ground so that he was on top of me, pinning my arms down. Then he leaned in. I could see the palpable fury in his eyes and I felt so terribly afraid.

"How the hell do you know how I feel?!" He snarled. "You think you've lived a difficult life?!" I trembled and he continued, outraged. "How dare you try to sympathize with me, you don't even know-"

"NO!" I screamed at him. "I don't know! I don't know anything! But I'm trying! I'm trying to understand how you feel!" I writhed under his grasp. "I do know pain! Maybe not as much as you, but I've experienced loneliness, and fear, and pain in my life like you have!"

"Yes, I know what your life is like!" Jeong yelled. "I know it so well I could have lived it myself! I know your life inside out! I could rehearse it with my eyes closed, in my sleep! I watched you, I had to watch you because you were so important to us! I watched every time you cried, broke down, yelled at your sister! Locked yourself in your room and sobbed until you couldn't sob anymore!" My eyes widened. "Every time you tried to convince your mother that your dad was gone! That he would never come back! Every moment of your weakness, of your strength!" He took a few heavy breaths, and for the first time I could see the sadness and the pain in his face. He looked away, still breathless.

"Jeong-"

"And every time you locked yourself in your room, I wanted to help you because I knew how it felt. I knew what it was like to be abandoned, left by the people you loved." His eyes slid to Seven's and then back at me. "Every time you argued with your sister, I remember wanting to say the exact same things to my brother. Yes. I do know you Kao, perhaps better than anyone else." He whispered. I trembled.

"...How?"

"They raised me to watch you, to be the intercepter who would take you away when it was time. It was easy to set up cameras in your house and control the ones at school. At first I hated it, I wanted to be out in the field, not watch a pathetic teenager feel sorry for herself. But they made me." He hissed, leaning closer. I could see the fighting emotions swirling in his eyes. "But every day I watched you I felt more and more sorry for you. No, not sorry for you. I began to relate to you and understand how much we had in common, how much we both _hurt_. I wanted to meet you. And eventually I began to-to…" He hissed under his breath and shook his head. "No." He squeezed his eyes shut before they snapped open and glossed over. "I'm part of Mint Eye and I will fulfill the will of Mint Eye."

"So you'll submit?" I asked softly. His crazed eyes flicked to mine and dilated. I leaned closer to him. "Did you truly watch me? Did you truly understand me? How it felt? Did you relate?! Then why are you being so weak?! Why are you letting them control you! Haven't you ever wanted to get away? To be done with it all? To be free? Isn't that why you began to want to meet me in the first place?!" We were silent, breathless. Jeong took a few deep breaths before he tore his gaze away. His eyes narrowed and then widened a little.

"When I met you at first I was disappointed." He whispered. "You were nothing different, and you didn't live up to the expectations that I had created in my mind. You were plain. But...but you were so determined to learn, to better yourself. I-I didn't understand. I thought you were like me, torn and pained, accepting of your fate. But you weren't. You kept going against what other people told you, you kept risking your safety to learn even the smallest, most unimportant detail." His expression contorted and I saw the pain in it. "And eventually I wanted to become...like...you." His eyes widened and then he grit his teeth. "Why am I saying this?"

"Saeran." I whispered. He blinked and then looked at me. "That's your actual name, right?"

"I…" He looked away. "Yes."

"It's a nice name." I said meekly, as tears slid down my cheeks. Saeran stared at me in agony before he gently released me. I slowly sat up, dazed as he wrapped his arms around me.

"Kao." He whispered. He was trembling, I realized. I gently hugged him back. Saeran began to sob quietly. "I don't know what I'm doing." He whimpered. "Sometimes I can't feel anything, and it's like I'm very very far away. I can hurt people, and I don't care. It feels good...but it scares me. And then I-" He broke off. "I feel so much and it hurts, and I just want it all to go away. I just want to disappear." He sobbed. "I want to disappear Kao, I do, I do, I do. I want to make it all go away." I squeezed my eyes shut and hugged him tighter, this person, this person who was in agony, who was hurting so much. "Kao." He sobbed. "Make it go away."

"I can't." I whispered, trembling slightly. "It won't go away Saeran, not right away. Pain is...pain is a lasting thing that can only go away with time and love. But you have to let it." We broke away and I looked at his face. He looked so wretched and tired of existing. His white hair was disheveled, and it fell across his emerald eyes that were in so much agony I thought I could cry.

"How can you do it…?" He asked softly. "Make me lose my resolve." He glanced at my questioning face. "I came in here so sure, so sure that I wouldn't break down, that I would accomplish what I needed to do. I would grab you and give you to Mint Eye, and I wouldn't show the slightest bit of pain or remorse. But you made it all go away." He bit his lip. "I don't understand, how do you do it?"

"I don't know." I whispered. "I don't...I don't know anything."

"I can't do it." He said weakly. "I can't hurt you." His hands clenched into a fist and he moved it close to my face. I saw it tremble. "See? Look...I can't...I can't-" Carefully, I grabbed his fist and opened it. Saeran looked at it sadly as I placed my hand in his.

"I'm sorry too." I whispered. "I'm sorry I tried to hurt you. I hate hurting people. I despise...weapons. I glanced at the dagger I was still holding and threw it away in disgust."

"You didn't have a choice." Saeran replied softly. His white hair hid his eyes. "You thought I was going to kill you."

"Yes." I whispered.

"I wanted to, you know. I hated you, no, I still do hate you. I hate how you get inside my mind. How you got inside my mind even when you didn't know who I was. I wanted to...to hurt you. But I can't." He slammed his other hand against the ground. "It's over now. Mint Eye...they'll kill me."  
"No." I said.

"Yes." He replied.

"No. We'll destroy them." He looked up at me, his eyes devoid of wrath and fury. In them, I could just see exhaustion and pain.

"You can't destroy them Kao. No one can."

"We will." I said, shaking. "We've found evidence on them and we can."

"It won't work!" He said loudly, making me blink. "They're unstoppable!"

"It will." We both looked up as Seven took an uneasy step forward. His golden eyes flicked towards me and then to Saeran's. "After I ran I went to Mint Eye's hideout, I was able to sneak in and I got files on them, a lot of files on them. It'll be enough to completely expose them." A little bit of madness seemed to come back into Saeran's eyes as he looked at Seven.

"Don't spout lies. I don't need anymore of those."

"I'm not lying." Seven replied. He reached into his jacket and threw a file onto the ground. Saeran and I both looked at it. It was crinkled and filthy, as if it had been dumped into a lake.

"That's...impossible." Saeran whispered. "I know you snuck in, but retrieving such confidential files is..."

"I wasn't alone." Seven said. "And I'm a hell of a thief." Saeran was at a loss of words. He looked at the folder like it was a ghost. Trembling, he reached for it. Seven immediately stepped on his hand but I shook my head at him.

"Let him."

"But-"

"Let him." I said again. Seven's eyes narrowed but he removed his foot and looked away. Saeran opened the file. His eyes widened as he scanned it's contents.

"I don't...I don't believe it."

"Is it enough?" I asked softly. He looked at me. "Saeran?"

"...Yes." He whispered, voice cracking. "Yes...this...this is enough." I smiled a little, relieved. Saeran slowly put the file down.

"Am I...am I free?" He asked to no one in particular. His eyes were locked on the wall in front of him. "Can this nightmare truly end…?"

"Yes." I answered. He blinked and then slowly looked at me, as if remembering I was there. "Saeran, you can be free." His eyes slowly widened and then he laughed a little.

"I can be...I can be...free." I grasped his hand and he smiled warmly at me, blinking away the tears in his eyes.

"Saeran." Seven said. The warm look in Saeran's eyes immediately disappeared and he venomously looked at Seven who withered. "I'm...sorry. I know you don't forgive me but I want you to know that I'm so sorry."

"No." Saeran replied coolly. "No I don't forgive you at all. I still want to kill you." I flinched. "But…" He looked away. "It's not like I'm guiltless either." He slowly stood up, leaving me on the ground as he looked directly at Seven. "I despise you." He said. "But most of all, I just want to be rid of all this, to get away from it all. So I'll ignore it." Seven was in pain, I could see it, but he nodded slowly.

"Wait. What about the others?" I questioned with wide eyes. "Are they-"

"No." Saeran replied as he slowly picked up his gun and put it in his holster. "Our agents were ordered not to kill anyone. They think I'm still with them so I'll call them off." His eyelids lowered and then he looked at me. "I don't like anyone in RFA so I'm not obligated to, but I'll do it for you, Kao."

"Thank you…" I said softly. He looked away sadly and walked forward. Seven and I met eyes and my heart skipped a beat before I grabbed the file and he gently helped me stand up.

"I have a lot I want to say." He said gruffly before clearing his throat. "But I want to do it after all of this." I nodded slowly, looking down. My breath hitched as I felt his hand slide into mine. I looked at him but his eyes were hidden by his crimson hair.

"Come on." He whispered as he led me forward. Tears formed in my eyes but I blinked them away and squeezed his hand tightly. It wasn't enough. I wanted to wrap my arms around him, to kiss him, to cry and to laugh and smile. _Not now._ I thought quickly, heart racing. We had to help the others. Worry bit at me. _What if they weren't okay?_

"Thank you." He whispered. I looked up at him as we walked into the hallway. Saeran was a few steps ahead of us, but I wasn't sure if he was eavesdropping or not. "Kao...thank you."

"I...I didn't do anything." I said numbly. "It was all Saeran."

"No." Seven replied. "You...you're amazing...standing up to him like that. You didn't give up. You reminded him what it was like to be human. Thank you. I honestly had no hope when I told you to leave. I had already given up and I wanted to buy you time to run. But you stayed, you stayed and you…" He broke off. "Sorry." He muttered. "I'm no good at this." I trembled with the desire to hug him _. Not now._

"Thank you for letting me." I whispered back. "For believing me." His hand squeezed mine and I smiled, despite myself. When was the last time we had held hands like this? Had it been the aquarium? I remembered the fish, the glowing tank that we had walked under. So much had happened since then. And even now, it wasn't all over.

* * *

Saeran stopped us right before we entered the main lobby. He looked at the two of us tiredly.

"Stay here. If you two come in you'll blow the cover. I'll dismiss them."  
"Are you sure you don't need help?" His eyes slid to mine and then softened.

"Yes. I'm not a commander but I'm high up enough that they'll listen to me." He turned away from us and continued to walk down the corridor. Seven and I were silent, still holding hands, still terrified that something would go wrong.

"Are you sure Saeran is truly with us?" Seven whispered. "What if he…"

"Yes." I replied. The agony that I had seen in his eyes, the pain–it had not been imagined. I knew it was real. I completely believed in him now. We heard his commanding voice.

"It's off. Call it off, release them and leave." There were confused replies.

"What? But...sir."  
"Now."  
"You can't...we-"

"Now. There was a change of plans, go back to the roof and take the escape chopper back to the base." There was silence. "Do it or I'll tell Elliot to kill all of you, you know he listens to me." I gasped as there was a single gunshot, I guessed Saeran had shot it. "Now." There was silence.

"I'll get back myself." Saeran said. "Go." There were a few reluctant 'Yes sirs' and then thudding footsteps that eventually faded away. It seemed almost too easy. I stood perfectly still, terrified that if I moved the men in black would come back and I would drown in the nightmare once more. But eventually Saeran came back and gestured down the corridor. "Go." He said. "They're all there. Safe." Safe. They were safe. I let out a long, trembling sigh. I sighed and sagged against Seven who squeezed my hand. It was over. It was really over.

"Thank you." I whispered, grasping Saeran's hand with my free one. "Thank you Saeran." He nodded slowly. "Come with us." He obliged and followed us into the lobby where the guests were crying and hugging one another, still not completely believing that they had been saved. I desperately scanned the crowd for my friends and then saw them, all huddled together on the floor. Seven and I immediately ran towards them. Jaehee looked up. Her face was tired and exhausted but it lit up as soon as she spotted me.

"Oh my god, Kao! Seven!" She stood up and ran towards me, embracing Seven and I. "You're both here, alive! I can't believe it!"

"YOU GUYS!" I looked over Jaehee's shoulder, only to see Yoosung sprint towards me and join us. His eyes were red from crying, I could only imagine how terrified he must have been. "You...you're okay!" He sobbed as we all broke away. Jumin and Zen had also stood up and they looked at the four of us, absolutely astonished. Jumin looked at Seven blankly.

"You're..here." Then he smiled and pulled Seven into a hug. "I...I thought you might come back but…" He glanced at me and sighed with relief. "Thank god you're okay Kao."

"I'm okay." I whispered.

"Everyone's here…" Zen whispered. His lower lip trembled. "I thought we were all going to die…" I held out my hand and he took it before hugging Seven and I. "Thank god..." Yoosung eventually tackled me again and gave me a tight hug as he cried loudly.

"Everyone's okay." I whispered, hugging him back. "Everyone's...safe." I glanced at Saeran who was awkwardly standing off to the side. I gave him a little smile and he nodded back.

* * *

Afterwards, everyone had filtered out into the parking lot where the police instantly rushed to our sides. A blanket was thrown over me and the others and we all sat, huddling together as the police asked us questions. I looked around for Saeran and then froze when I saw him being handcuffed. I instantly stood up and rushed over to him.

"No! Don't arrest him!" I said breathlessly. The policeman glanced at me and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.  
"Are you working with this criminal?"

"He's not a criminal-"

"Someone told us that he was part of the terrorist group."

"He-" My voice died. Saeran observed me silently, he gave me a numb shake of his head. "No…" I whispered. "No you don't deserve it." Saeran was emotionally exhausted, I could tell. He didn't even seem to notice or care about the handcuffs on his wrists.

"Release him." We all froze and I glanced over my shoulder. My eyes widened. There, V stood. I could see a large purple bruise on his cheek. The light breeze picked up his blue hair, revealing both of his pale mint eyes that rested on me briefly before sliding to Saeran. My heart thudded violently. "You heard me. Release him." He repeated.

"B-But Sir."

"Now Raymond." Raymond, the cop swallowed and then nodded, unlocking the handcuffs and shuffling away. V was silent. Saeran was staring at him with wide eyes, frozen in place. I trembled and took a few steps back. I had forgotten about V, who was also part of Mint Eye. Who had come here to-

"V?" Seven walked towards us, his eyes wide. V turned around and smiled warmly. _No, don't fall for it,_ I thought. Seven sprinted towards V and pulled him into a hug. "You're okay." The others were close behind him.

"V!" Yoosung exclaimed. "What are you doing here? We couldn't find you at the fundraiser."

"I came as fast as I could." V said as the two broke away. "I have...I have a lot to tell you all." His eyes rested on me and I shivered. "If you'll hear me."

"Of course." Seven replied. "I also have to…" He broke off suddenly and clutched his head, wincing. We all glanced at him.

"Seven?" V asked worriedly. Seven took a few steps forward before something in his eyes changed.

"Tell you all…" He slurred before his voice died out. He tilted back and forth a little before his legs gave out and he fell to the floor. For a split second we all stood there, planted to the ground in shock. But then I realized what had happened.

"Seven!" I sprinted towards him and knelt onto the ground.

"Oh my god." Yoosung whispered. The others crowded around us.

"What's wrong with him?" Zen demanded.

"I don't know." I whispered. I shook him desperately, trying to wake him up, hoping that he would open his eyes.

But Seven was unresponsive.


	14. The Aftermath (Part 1)

Chapter 14- The Aftermath

* * *

We were all silent as we anxiously sat in the waiting room. Jaehee and Yoosung sat on either side of me, and Jumin, Zen, V, and Saeran sat across from us. The others didn't seem to have noticed Saeran, as they were worried only about Seven's condition. But V clearly knew who he was. I swallowed, not knowing when I should tell the others that both of them—V and Saeran— were actually part of Mint Eye. Just a few hours ago, V had told us that he would explain everything and I hadn't had the chance to tell them the truth. But all of that was nothing compared to the worry that I felt for Seven. The last time I had seen him he had just...collapsed. _What if he..._ I swallowed nervously. I felt so tired and exhausted. I had been running on the small amounts of adrenaline I had left for the last several hours and felt like collapsing. _Seven._ I thought worriedly. Suddenly, a nurse came out of a room across from us, holding a clipboard. I instantly stood up, my heart thudding. She glanced at me and smiled knowingly.

"You can come on in." We obliged and filtered into the small hospital room. My heart thudded. Seven lay on the white bed, _alive_. His eyes instantly latched onto mine and the corners of his lips curled up into a little smile. All of the sudden, the world seemed to calm, the crazy panic in my heart subsided, and everything was okay. Because he was okay. I nearly collapsed in relief, but merely smiled back. "You can take a seat." The nurse said as she exited the room. The seven of us sat in the chairs that surrounded the hospital bed.

"You're okay." I whispered. His golden eyes warmed.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Then he looked away at the others. "Hey guys." Seven said. "What's up."

"Don't be so nonchalant." Jaehee snapped. "You had us all worried to death, we thought you were going to die."

"I almost did." Seven admitted. "I was in awful shape. Honestly, I'm surprised I didn't collapse right away. I guess the adrenaline kept me going." His eyelids lowered. "They're debating on amputating my ankle." I held back a gasp and the others froze. "Ah it's okay." He said quickly. "They said it's only a possibility." There was grim silence before Seven glanced at V. "Anyways...what did you want to talk about?" V had a foreboding expression on his face as he looked around the room.

"Well, I wanted to explain...a lot of things. I'm not sure if this is the right time to do it but-"

"Now is the time." Seven interrupted. "While we're all here, willing to listen." His eyes flicked to Saeran who sat in the corner, who I could tell hated being in the same room as V. Saeran's eyes flicked to mine and I gave him an encouraging smile. He nodded slightly.

"Alright." V said with a soft sigh. "I have a story to tell everyone. You all know varying amounts of it." He continued, looking at each and every one of us individually. I shivered as his pale gaze briefly rested on me. "And some of you don't know anything about it at all. So in order to properly tell it, I feel that I have to start from the very beginning. Before _I_ was even born." He took a deep breath. "I don't want any questions, I want to go through all of it without any interruptions. I understand that most of this information will sound ridiculous and made up to you, and that some of you won't even believe me. But every word that will come out of my mouth will be the truth, I can assure you all that. Do you all understand me?" There were nods around the room. "Good." He said. His fingers laced together and he leaned forward in his chair.

"There was once a man called Goo Tai-Hee, and he was married to a woman, Lee Seo-Yon." I froze, and Jaehee, who was next to me, sucked in a sharp breath. We both recognized those names. Seven's eyes narrowed. "They were higher ups in the Korean government, and geniuses at that. They invented a system that could hack through any firewall, any algorithm in a matter of seconds. To some of you this might not be a monumental achievement, but for organizations that had state of the art defenses, this system was invaluable. Naturally, they kept it a secret so other governments wouldn't know about it, and for a while, life was had a child and loved her dearly. That child was called Kao Tai-Hee. Many of you know her as just Kao now." Astonished heads turned towards me and I swallowed. V continued.

"The years passed. But eventually, like all things, the truth got out. There were whispers of a system that could hack through any algorithm, any firewall. And as every day passed, the Tai-Hee's knew that their chances of being discovered were increasing. Goo wanted to get rid of the system, he argued that it was putting their family in danger. But Lee disagreed, she said that it was their key to a new world, that their government could use it for good. The two were completely torn." He leaned back in his chair and rested his chin on the palm of his hand. "Eventually, suspicion was placed on them for inventing the system and then the death threats came in. They were part of the government, of course, so they were well protected. But the organizations that were after them were no joke either." His pale eyes narrowed. "Eventually they locked it away, too terrified to use it anymore, but not willing to destroy it. They placed the entire system it in a single chip and locked it it in a vault deep underground, sealing it so it would be impossible for anyone to enter." His eyes flicked towards me. "Anyone but their descendants, as it was sealed with an imperfect DNA identification system, otherwise unreachable for anyone else." His face became grave.

"Just in time too. Only a month later someone broke into their house to kill them and take the system for their own." I swallowed. "They started a fire and made it look like it was an accident." His fingers tapped against his arm chair. "The two died there, and the assassin desperately looked for the chip, but it wasn't there. And then, in the midst of the flames he instead found their child, Kao, huddled in a room of fire, terrified. He was going to kill her, but someone stopped him and knocked him unconscious, leaving him to burn in the flames. That someone grabbed the child and escaped the house before it fell to the ground. Their name was Siu Jihyun, and he was also my father."

"Siu was best friends with the parents of the girl, so close he could be considered her godfather. Like them he was also part of the Korean government. The two had begged him to protect her, had told him that she was the key to unlocking the vault and above all else, she was the most important. My father had agreed. He had seen the burning house from afar and had arrived there just in time to pull out the child from the flames. He knew he had to protect her, but he couldn't take her in. She would in danger with him and had to disappear for good, otherwise she would be chased forever. So he placed her in an orphanage, far away, and faked her death."

"And so everyone thought that the entire Tai-Hee family had died in the terrible flames that night. It was a tragedy. But no, the girl lived on in that orphanage, and my father watched her, he watched her every movement, to make sure she was safe. However, he did not know that there was someone else who was aware that she was alive. An organization called Mint Eye, which, back then was merely composed of the assassin who had started the flames, who had miraculously survived. He gained followers quickly, as would anyone, if they spoke of a system such as the one he desired. He said that he knew of the key to retrieve it, the girl, their only daughter, who could open up the vault. They searched for her desperately, and it took years, but eventually, they found her. They nearly got her before my father, once again, interjected. Panicked, he made a deal, a deal that would shape the rest of all of our lives." V swallowed.

"He said that every week they left her alone, he would give them a two thousand dollars." He took a breath. "This might not sound much, but it all adds up after a while. You have to understand, for such a small, poor organization, which Mint Eye was at the time, this was practically irresistible, and naturally, they agreed. My father was a rich man. He held one of the top positions in the government, and this was all he could do to keep her safe without exposing her completely. Because although Mint Eye was weak then, my father knew that at any time they could tell the world that the daughter of the Tai-Hee family was alive, and he knew that if that happened she would be taken for sure." V's eyelids lowered. "And so the years passed. Mint Eye and my father both watched her grow, and every week he would give them two thousand dollars so they wouldn't take her away. I had no idea that any of this was happening when I was growing up, my father managed to keep it all away from me. And then one day, when I was twelve, he told me all of it. He told me that no matter what, I had to keep this girl safe, even if he perished. I remember that day clearly, it was the day that my fate was stripped away from me, when I was told that above all else, this girl had to be kept safe. My mother had died when I was very young so he was all I had, and yet he seemed to care about her than he ever did for me." V's hand clenched into a fist. "I hated her, I did. I hated this girl that had taken over our lives without our being asked."

"It shocked me when my father was diagnosed with cancer. But my father he...he didn't even care about himself, he just told me—begged me—that I had to keep her safe. And so the last couple months I spent with him were comprised of him telling me about her, about what I had to do. His last words to me were, 'Please protect her.' He didn't even tell me he loved me." V took a deep breath. "I had to fulfill his wish. I loved my father dearly, and even if I despised this girl, I had to protect her, for him. And I did. After his death I received all of his money and so I continued the deal, by myself. But eventually, Mint Eye began to get greedy. They were becoming more and more powerful and began to ask for double the money, then triple, then...well you get the idea."

"My life continued alongside Kao's. I fell in love with Rika, and together, we started RFA. I met Luciel and got him to join. And all of you." His eyes scanned the room. "However, as the time passed it became clear to me that money wasn't enough to protect the girl. Nearly every week they were demanding more and more payments, and my supply of money wasn't endless, despite how much my father had originally owned. So I decided that I had to do something, I needed something else to protect her, something more. It was a risk, but I had to take it. So I became Unknown. I texted her, and I hoped dearly that she would listen to me, that she would follow my directions and become part of RFA. And she did, she listened, and she joined. Originally, I had wanted her to join so Seven would unknowingly protect her. He looked over all the members to make sure they were safe and he was an expert at doing it. And also because, admittedly, I was tired of doing it all alone, of being her guardian angel. After Rika's death I was exhausted, tired, and wretched. With Mint Eye closing in I didn't think I could bear it anymore." He looked directly at me.

"When you first joined I hated you. I'm not going to lie about it. I didn't show it of course, but I did, I despised you. However, after a while I realized that it just wasn't fair. You hadn't asked for what had happened to you, any of it. It was just as unfair for you as it was for me. Your parents had been stripped away from you when you were too young to even remember them, and you had been thrown into a life where you would constantly be in danger. And you didn't even know it. I'm sure all of this must sound abnormal to you, like a story, but it's all the truth. So that hate I felt eventually disappeared and I became fond of you, like a brother would. The wanting to protect you no longer stemmed from the love of my father but because I wanted to. Admittedly, you reminded me a little of Rika." He looked away.

"When Mint Eye realized what I had done they were furious. They sent a minion, Saeran, to watch over you closely." His eyes flicked over to Saeran who fidgeted. "Of course, they never wanted him to become so closer to her, which he ended up doing. They didn't like that we were on such close terms, and demanded that I should make her quit. But I refused. Eventually they broke through our algorithm and sent that message as a warning, I'm sure you all remember it."

"Welcome to paradise." Jaehee whispered. V nodded.

"It was Unknown who sent that, but not me, a different Unknown, one from Mint Eye. That's why you originally thought it was Mint Eye who wanted you to join RFA, but there were two of us." He shook his head. "My payments began to dwindle completely and they threatened me. They said that they would take you. I didn't believe them originally, because I had given them money for years, and I thought that, surely, they couldn't go without it. But Mint Eye didn't _need_ my money anymore. Even without my payments they were making enough to sustain themselves. So they broke into your apartment with the intention to finally take you away." I shivered. I remembered that night. "But Luciel, thank god, showed up in time and rescued you. I ordered Jumin to protect all of you with his men, which he did. That's why no one touched you while you stayed at Luciel's. But it wouldn't last long. Mint Eye was powerful now, they had men, weapons, and intel at their disposal."

"Luciel knew too. He knew very well without me even telling him. And so that night when he ran, he ran with the intention of saving you, all of us. He ran because he was afraid, yes, but also because he knew what he had to do. And I...I did what I could too. I made another deal with Mint Eye—I would dramatically increase my payments, and this time they would come from my own bank account, not my father's." V said. My eyes widened. So that was what I had seen when I had went to V's. Not him conspiring with them, but him trying to make a deal to save me.

"They agreed but I knew it wasn't enough. The night of the fundraiser they came for me, to kill me and end the deal once and for all. Luckily, I had predicted it. I had some of Jumin's men to protect me, but I got a beating and nearly died. And then I ran. I ran to the hotel because I knew that they would come for you, Kao, and would simultaneously reveal themselves to the world. But when I arrived you were all there, okay. Then I saw Saeran." Everyone followed his gaze to the boy in the corner.

"Hold on." Zen interjected. "This...this is Saeran?"

"Wait what?!" Yoosung asked incredulously.

"I said no questions until I was done."

"This is the creep that spied on Kao? That scheduled the attack?" Zen demanded. Saeran looked away.

"Saeran didn't schedule anything." V replied calmly. "He was merely a pawn that was manipulated by them, and he's...also Luciel's brother." There was a long pause.

"Brother?!" Yoosung questioned. "I thought his brother had died."

"So did I." Seven replied.

"What the hell…" Zen muttered. "My brain hurts."

Mine did too. This wasn't even the biggest reveal of the day, I was still thinking about V's words earlier—all this time he hadn't been conspiring against us, all this time he had been protecting me...I felt ashamed for being suspicious of him. But even now...could I be completely sure of what he was saying?

"Hold on, please" Jaehee interjected. "So both you and Mint Eye have been watching Kao since she was a child?"

"Correct." V replied with a sigh.

"And she's the daughter of powerful government officials _and_ the key to opening the vault to the system—the system with the chip." Zen said slowly.

"Yes."

"Is this a joke?" Yoosung asked finally.

"No, this is all true. I'm sure most of this is surprising for all of you, but it's the truth." I shook my head numbly. Suddenly it all made sense, as if the puzzle pieces I had collected over the months had finally clicked together: why I had been randomly texted that night and so warmly welcomed into RFA. Why Saeran (otherwise known as Jeong) had begun to spy on me for no reason. The message from Mint Eye and the break in. Seven suddenly running off. The deal I had seen V make with Mint Eye. And finally, the fundraiser.

But I still didn't comprehend the first part of his story. Was I really the daughter of such powerful people? Was I the...key? I stared at the floor as the others continued to ask V incredulous questions, also not believing everything. All my life I had believed that I was unimportant, that I had been abandoned. But in reality, so many people had been watching me, protecting me all this time? How could I handle that? It didn't feel real. I had never sensed any of it. I didn't _want_ it either. Who would ask for _this_? I jumped as someone placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. It was V. I looked at him.

"I know this is a lot to take in." He whispered to me, his mint colored eyes filled with sympathy and worry. "Take your time." I blinked. There was no treachery or deceit in his expression, none. I looked away miserably, my remaining doubts fading away. How could I possibly doubt this person? This person who had been so kind to me, who had literally been my guardian angel before I even knew him.

"I...I'm so…" I broke off suddenly. The others slowly stopped talking amongst themselves and looked at me. "I'm sorry V…" I whispered. "I thought that you...that you were-"  
"I know." V replied. "I saw it in your eyes, you were afraid of me. And it's understandable, I have been consorting with Mint Eye for years now."

"But all this time you had to protect me." I said shakily. "Even though you hated me. You had to protect me...I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize." V said gently.

"I didn't deserve it." I whispered. "Any of it."

"Perhaps then," V admitted. "But if I never wanted to protect you, we would have never actually met. You would have never met any of us. Yes, you affected all of our lives, but not just because of the role that you were designated to play. Because you are kind, Kao." He said, taking my hand in his.

"No." I said weakly.

"Yes." He replied. "You are kind, and brave, and willing to accomplish things that others are not."

"No." I said again, shaking my head and looking down. "I'm nothing, I'm worthless."

"You are our friend." V said kindly. My lower lip trembled. "And now, we protect you because we want to. Not because we are obligated to." I shook my head and then threw my arms around him. V stiffened in surprise and then hugged me back.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "That you went through all that."

"I'm sorry too." V replied. We broke away and I smiled a little before Yoosung embraced me. I blinked and then hugged him back. And then Zen and Jaehee joined in. We all laughed a little, still a little dumbstruck by V's story. But I could see it in all of their eyes, that it was true. They all loved me. And I loved all of them.

"You guys…" I whispered.

"I hate to interrupt." Jumin said suddenly. We all looked up in surprise, Jumin had been silent this entire time. "But we don't have much time before Mint Eye comes back with more reinforcements. From what I hear, the deal with V is now off and they'll be coming after Kao relentlessly now. We have to get that file to the government and destroy them once and for all."

"You're right." I replied.

"Kao, you still have the file, right?" Seven asked me. I nodded and slowly pulled it out, laying it on my lap. It was as dirty and crinkled as I remembered it.

"Hold on." Jaehee reached into her own briefcase and pulled out another file, one that I recognized as the one we had put together. "It's not much but maybe it'll help." She gently laid it on the one I had. "Kao and I researched them a little."

"We have no time to waste." Jumin said, standing up. I gave him the two files. "I'll get this to the government building."

"Don't go alone." V said quickly. Jumin nodded.

"Assistant Kang, Zen, and Yoosung, come with me." He glanced at V, Saeran, Seven, and then me. "These four still have things to talk about."

"Eh?" Yoosung looked up and pouted. "But I still have so many questions and I wanna stay with Kao."

"I'll answer all of your questions in the car." Jumin replied. "Come on." Slowly, the others stood up and began to follow Jumin out, who glanced at me.

"I'm glad you're safe Kao." He said with a little smile. I smiled back. I had a feeling that Jumin hadn't been as surprised by the story as much as the others had. He probably knew about more parts of it than them.

"I'll see you soon Kao!" Yoosung called out to me. I chuckled. Zen and I exchanged a nod and Jaehee gave me one last hug before the four of them exited the waiting room. There was silence as the door closed behind them. The only people in the room now were Seven, Saeran, V, and myself.

"Will they be okay?" I asked finally.

"Yes." V answered. "Jumin has his men with him and he's close friends with several government officials. They'll take the folder off his hands and take the proper precautions."

I nodded numbly. "There's still one thing I don't understand. Why can the folder destroy them? I mean...what's so special about it?" V observed me thoughtfully.

"The folder contains all of their information. Mint Eye just doesn't have the one base in South Korea, they're stationed all over the world, that's how much their influence has grown. We only know the location of one of their bases." He held up a finger and spoke slowly, as if I was a child, so I could properly absorb the information. "And that's the one that Seven infiltrated. But just knowing where that one base is isn't enough to destroy all of Mint Eye completely. That folder has the location of _all_ of their bases. It also has information on their allies and where their supplies come from, which allows us to pinpoint those locations as well and get rid of them. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it's a list of all of their crimes and attacks they've executed in the past, which is proof of what they've done. This gives the government incentive to go after them, otherwise they might not be high on their list of priorities. After the fundraiser they revealed themselves, yes, but it wasn't enough to produce a big counterforce." He finished. I nodded slowly, taking in all the information.

"I think I get it."

"To summarize, it's all we need to destroy them jam packed into a small file." Seven added.

"It's almost too good to be true." I whispered. "That this nightmare will be over. Are we sure it'll work?" V nodded.

"It will."

"Seven really saved us." I looked at Seven, who smiled warmly.

"Wait, what about Saeran?" I questioned. "What'll happen to him? He was part of Mint Eye."

"Indeed he was." V replied. Saeran's eyelids lowered and he looked down. "And yet he seems to have a change of heart."

"Kao was responsible for that." Seven added.

"I figured." V tapped his chin and contemplated this. Saeran figited under his gaze.

"He's a good person." I said quickly. "He is."

"Mmhmm...yes, I remember what the old Saeran was like. I remember looking after him when he was just a boy." I blinked.

"You knew him?"

"Yes, I knew him." V and Seven exchanged glances.

"What?" I inquired. "What is it?"

Seven looked at me directly. "Kao...I think it's time I told you about my past."

"...Your past?"

He nodded. "You're aware that Saeran and I are brothers." Saeran's eyes narrowed.

"Yes, of course." I replied.

"Well...we grew up together in a poor house and an abusive environment. It wasn't good for either of us and I tried to get us out of it. I learned how to hack and became proficient with electronics and computers, and that's around when I met V. He said that he could get me a job and together we could escape. So together, Saeran and I ran away."

V nodded. "I saw that Luciel's abilities were something else and I saw potential in him. I knew of an agency that was recruiting people like him and he got the job."

"And he left me." Saeran snarled. We all glanced at him. He was hugging his legs to his chest and was observing all of us with lowered eyelids. "He abandoned me with V." He spat the name.

"I joined that agency to support us both." Seven retorted angrily. "They wouldn't let me interact with anyone else so I had to have V look after you for the first couple of years I worked there."

"I didn't want to be supported." Saeran snapped. "I didn't want money, I didn't want to be protected. I just wanted to be with you, to live freely. But you saw an opportunity for greatness, and you took it, saying that it was for us when, in reality, it was for you." Seven looked at his brother, astonished. Saeran continued. "V didn't understand me at all. He kept reassuring me that you would come back, and eventually I believed him. It didn't take me long to realize that he was working with some kind of organization, an organization that stopped by his door every week to collect something, back then I didn't know what. I thought that maybe he was secretly communicating with you through them, I don't know, I was young back then, desperate to see my brother. So one day I decided to follow them—Mint Eye." His eyes narrowed. "That was perhaps the greatest mistake I ever made. They knew I was following them of course, and I almost died in when they questioned me. But they saw something in me, potential perhaps. They were entertained. They drove me back to their base and showed me all of their computers, their databases. I thought that it was exactly what my brother was doing, and I was elated, I thought that I could do it too. I didn't want to go back home, so I didn't. I failed to realize at the time that even if I _did_ want to go back, I wouldn't be able to. And everyday I would fiddle with the electronics, teaching myself. For a while I was just a child playing with my toys, before I realized that my toys were the ones that were playing with me."

"I remember that day." V said quietly. Seven glared at V.

"You told me that he had killed himself, not that he had ran away."

"I had no idea what he did." V said defensively. "He was incredibly unhappy when we lived together for that brief amount of time. When he disappeared and all of his belongings were still in his room...I...I assumed that-"

"Well you clearly didn't assume right!" Seven yelled. I flinched. "You should have told me the details!"

"I didn't know the details." V replied softly. "And I knew that if I said he was missing, you would search for him until you became mad." Saeran was silent, his eyes were on his brother.

"I was torn after you told me he was gone." Seven whispered. "All that time I had worked, worked for both of us."

"Lies." Saeran murmured.

"No." Seven hissed, looking at his brother. "Listen to me, Saeran. Yes, you're partially right. I was so tired of being treated like I was worthless. I knew what I was capable of. And when V offered me a job I couldn't quite believe that I could have a chance to prove myself. So I did take it. I wasn't _just_ thinking of just us, you're right. But every time I went on a mission it wasn't for the money, or my position. It was for you. It was because I knew how proud you'd be when I came back." Saeran opened his mouth to interject but Seven interrupted him and continued. "I'll be honest. During all of that I never bothered to see you as anything but my little brother." Seven said hurriedly. "I thought...I thought you needed to be supported. I never even began to imagine that you could have the same talents as I did. I thought that I had to be the hero. Yes. Just like with mom. And that was foolish of me, I realize that now."

"And-"

"But I searched for you!" Seven yelled. "And I cried for you. I nearly killed myself...but...I didn't." He said shakily. "Do you wish that I would have?" His question hung in the air. Saeran blinked, surprised.

"What?"

"I'm saying, do you wish I would have killed myself?" I flinched. I hate hearing Seven talk like this, hearing him in so much pain. But I stayed silent, this was between them.

"I…" Saeran grit his teeth. "Yes. Yes I did!"

"Lies." Seven replied. Saeran's eyes widened and he stood up abruptly.

"You think you know what I went through?" He demanded. "I do wish you were gone! I do!"

"No." Seven said calmly. "Kao was able to knock some sense into you, so I know I can too. You're my brother, and I know now that no matter how much you say you hate me, say you won't forgive me, I'll still love you. And I hope that eventually, you'll love me again too." There was silence between them. Saeran's looked at his brother with wide, furious eyes. His lower lip trembled before he hissed under his breath, spun on his heel, and stormed out of the room.

"Saeran!" I started towards him but V held me back.

"I'll go after him, don't worry. I'll make sure nothing bad happens to him." He gave me a quick nod before hurrying after Saeran. I took a few deep breaths and then glanced at Seven who was pale. He blinked slowly, as if fully realizing that his brother had gone.

"Do you think he wants me to die?" Seven asked finally. A soft breeze came in from the open window, stirring his crimson hair and ruffling his bed sheets. My breath hitched and I shook my head. I walked over to him and kneeled on the ground, resting my arms on the bed.

"No, don't say that. Saeran...I don't know him all that well, but I think he says a lot of things he doesn't mean."

"Sounds like you know him well enough." Seven said, staring at the wall in front of him ruefully. His chest rose and fell slightly. Slowly, I slid my hand into his. He blinked and then looked at me as his hair fell into his eyes.

"I was so scared." I whispered, clasping his hand tightly. "I was so terrified that you...that you had died. So don't say something like that so calmly." His gaze softened.

"I'm...sorry Kao. You've been through so much." I shook my head.

"Don't even start. You might have to get your foot amputated."

He observed me silently before he smiled. "Come here."

"Where?"

"Closer."

I flushed. "I'm...pretty close."

"You're not close enough." His golden eyes were locked on me and I flushed further.

"...Scoot over." He obliged and I got onto the bed before laying next to him, on my side. This was the closest we had been since the night he left. He seemed to read my thoughts and his eyes saddened.

"Did you...did you really do all that for us?" I inquired softly. He blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"Went to the Mint Eye base, got the folders."

"Mmhmm." He said softly. I swallowed.

"You could have died, that was s-stupid of you." Seven smiled a little before he pulled me towards him. I stiffened as his arms wrapped around me and he rested his chin on my head. We lay there in silence. My heartbeat thudded violently in my ears. "But...thank you." I said finally, flushing and hiding my face from him.

"I should be thanking you." Seven replied. I could feel the vibrations of his voice as he spoke. "You saved me, you know. You saved all of us." I felt him run his fingers through my hair. "Hmm...Kao?"

"Yeah?"

"I forgot to mention," Seven continued, "You look beautiful in that dress." I realized with a start that I was still wearing the dress from the fundraiser. It was torn and filthy now.

"Lies." I replied. He chuckled. Silence fell between us before he finally continued.

"Kao…" His tone suddenly became serious. "I'm sorry for leaving you." He said finally. "I shouldn't have, at least not like that." I was silent.

"So then why did you?" I demanded finally, pulling away and looking at him. He blinked.

"You know why."

"I know you did it to go after Mint Eye, but...after we kissed it seemed like you hated it so much...like you couldn't bear it. I mean...are you sure I don't disgust you?"

He frowned. "You could never disgust me. I left so quickly because I...I was scared."

"Of what?" I asked softly. His eyes flicked away from mine.

"Of you."

"Me?" Seven sat up slowly and sighed. "Yes."

"...How? I don't understand?"

"You wouldn't."

"Not if you don't explain." I crossed my arms. Seven was silent for a little before I raised an eyebrow at him.

He sighed once more. "I was scared of you because you made me forget about logic." He said, staring at the wall sadly. "When you were around me I wanted to act only on emotion, but I knew that it was that exact same emotion that could kill you. Getting close to you meant I put you in danger, what with Mint Eye around and all the enemies I had made as an agent. Of course, I didn't know at the time that you were already involved with Mint Eye, that you had been involved with them even longer than I had." He looked at me. Our eyes met and my heart skipped a beat as a surge of electricity crawled up my spine.

So all the times he had been distant to me, all the times he had ignored me, it was to protect me? I swallowed. Every time I had freeted that he didn't care for me at all, he actually cared so much that he would go through all that...for me? I flushed.

"So...it wasn't the kiss?" I asked finally. He laughed, it was a warm laugh that made me smile.

"No, it wasn't the kiss."

"...Okay." I muttered.

"On the contrary, I enjoyed the kiss quite a bit." I flushed profusely and pushed him gently.

"You don't have to be _that_ forward!" He grinned. I wanted to melt, I hadn't seen that grin in such a long time and there it was.

"What?"

"Nothing~"

"Tell me."

"Nope."

He pouted. "You're so cruel!" I giggled and he continued. "I risk my life for you and when I come back you bully me." He teased.

"Cause you took so long."

"Yes, yes, my apologies madam."

"You're forgiven." His lips twitched upwards.

"So?"

"So what?"

"What did you think?" I blinked.

"Of?"

"The kiss." He said with a grin, observing me with lowered eyelids.

"It was absolutely terrible." I teased back.

"Yeah?"

"Yes!" I said with a giggle.

"Guess I have to make it up then." His lips curled up in a smile and he gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. I froze, surprised and then slowly closed my eyes as he leaned closer.

And then the door opened. We both pulled apart in surprise and looked at the nurse who was standing in the doorway, clipboard in hand. She looked at us, astonished and then around the empty room.

"Everyone's gone?" She asked. Seven scowled.

"What do you need?"

She blinked. "Oh...sorry if I interrupted something, the doctor has good news though."

"What is it?" I could sense the impatience in his voice and smiled a little, slipping my hand into his.

"He can tell you himself." She stepped aside, revealing a middle aged man in white who stepped into the room.

"Good news," He said with a smile, "We think that your ankle should be fine, it's pretty beaten up but I don't think we'll have to amputate it." Seven's eyes lit up. "You'll have to stay hospitalized for a while but after that we can get you a cast and you'll be up and running again." Seven and I looked at one another, elated.

"Thank you." He whispered, glancing back at the doctor who nodded. A few minutes passed as the doctor continued to talk to Seven about his treatment that would occur in the next couple of weeks, until eventually he left the room with the nurse behind him. The door closed softly. There was silence between us as Seven released a long sigh and leaned back in his bed, closing his eyes.

"Thank god." He muttered as he massaged his forehead. I also let out a quiet sigh of relief. Seven would be okay—he wouldn't get his ankle amputated. I wouldn't know what I would do if he could never properly walk again. Didn't this only happen in movies? Where the bad guys were defeated, and everyone survived? I felt a light tug on my sleeve and glanced at Seven who was observing me with a smile on his face.

"You okay?" He asked. I beamed at him.

"Yeah." And for the first time in weeks, I really was okay. No, I was better than okay. I was blissful, elated.

"Seven?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't ever leave me again." It was a selfish statement, and I had said it without realizing it, but it seemed to make him happy.

"I won't, ever. It's over now, all of it. Mint Eye's going to be destroyed."

"What about your agency?" I inquired.

"I'm going to quit." Seven replied. "I don't think I can…" he paused. "Can stop myself from being with you." I smiled and I snuggled next to him, closing my eyes. The sunlight crept through the window, bathing us in warm light. I felt Seven rest his head on mine.

Yes. It really was bliss.

* * *

Two Days Later

There was a knock on the door and I opened it, letting Jumin in. He shut the door behind him and we took our seats in the hospital room that we had been in a mere two days ago—where the others were waiting. Zen, Yoosung, Jaehee, and V were there already, sitting in chairs around Seven who was resting on the bed.

"You're late." Zen said, his crimson eyes sliding to Jumin.

"There was traffic." Jumin said, too tired to be annoyed. He walked past me to the large TV that hung above the door and turned it on. "Good, they haven't started yet."

"Did Saeran really not want to come?" Seven asked. I nodded and sat down in a free seat. "...I see." His eyes saddened slightly.

"It's his choice, I can understand why he wouldn't want to." V replied. "Besides, there are people here who are...uncomfortable when he's around." I was silent and Zen stiffened.

"I mean...yeah. We should all be." Zen added. "Are you guys sure he's on our side…? I mean he was with Mint Eye wasn't he?"

"He's with us now. It's just...complicated." I replied adamantly.

"That's not an explanation." Zen responded. "You guys know that he was a terrorist right? That he tried to kill you and Seven? And all of us!"

"It's not that simple, yes, he's done terrible things, but that's only because equally terrible things have been done to him." V added. "Besides, he's the one who called the attack off, without that...well, you know what would have happened." There was silence before Zen crossed his arms and looked away.

"Well I don't trust him. And I don't think it's smart to just forgive him like that." There was a loud sigh as Jumin turned up the volume to the television.

"We didn't come here to discuss what's going to happen to Saeran, we came here to watch the destruction of Mint Eye, so let's do that."

"Has it started?" Jaehee inquired. In response, Jumin switched to a news channel that read 'The Reveal of a Large Terrorist Organization Causes Surprise Around the World.'

"It's breaking news." Jumin murmured. His hand supported his chin as he watched the screen, eyes alert. A man was on the television, holding a clipboard, and next to him was a woman that began to speak.

"The reveal of a terrorist organization called Mint Eye has caused several disputes around the world." She said. I stiffened at the sound of it's name. "It was first caused by the South Korean government receiving a file of extremely confidential information from an unnamed source. This file contained several sensitive documents concerning the whereabouts and crimes of _Mint Eye_. It's now known that the viral outbreak of 2015 was caused by this organization, as well as the large string of crimes from Entrie Enterprises. They were also responsible for the assassination of several South Korean government officials, including Goo Tai-Hee, and Lee Seo-Yon." I swallowed. "They were responsible for the attack on Llong Tower and the recent attack on the Busan Hotel a mere two days ago, as well as many unlisted crimes that I will not state here."

"Jesus." Zen muttered.

"It is unclear how they managed to avoid authorities up until now, but now several unsolved crimes from up to twenty years ago are getting their answers."

"That's correct Becky." The man next to her added. "With the information in the file, authorities have been able to pinpoint their many bases around the world." Another screen popped up, this one a collection of different buildings in several different locations. There was one embedded in a snowy mountain, and another hidden by a forest of trees. The man continued to speak. "And measures are being taken to ensure the destruction of these many bases."

"Several attacks are being launched on them now." The woman added, as the screen changed.

From the words 'Live' at the top I knew that this was currently happening. It was being recorded by a helicopter from up top that flew over a large building fenced in by barbed wire, decked with antennas and spotlights. There was a loud alarm and red lights that pulsed around it. Several trucks drove up to the fencing and soldiers jumped out from them, decked with guns. I shivered, remembering the men from the hotel. With the same emotionless faces, the same guns and-

I heard someone move and looked to my left, surprised when I saw Seven stand up from his arm chair and sit beside me, silent. I stared at him. His golden eyes flicked to mine. _I'm here,_ they seemed to say. I swallowed as I slipped my hand into his and squeezed it. His eyelids lowered slightly and he squeezed back. I immediately felt calm. It was strange, how he could make me feel so calm just by being near me. He smelled like soap and detergent—like newly washed clothes. I relaxed, my shoulders brushing against his and looked back at the television.

"This is the South Korean Government." I flinched at the loudspeaker. Spotlights were turned towards the large building. "Turn off your defenses and surrender. I repeat, turn off your defenses and surrender." More spotlights were locked onto the base. After a few minutes, a small collection of people dressed in black reluctantly came out of the base with their hands up. A few spotlights were moved onto them, making them flinch and look away. Military personnel circled around those who were surrendering with their guns poised and ready while others handcuffed them. They were escorted off screen.

"This is the South Korean Government." Said the loudspeaker once more. "All remaining personel of Mint Eye come outside and surrender. This is your final warning." Silence. And then they waited. We waited too, tense, holding our breaths, not knowing what was going to happen next. Later, Jumin would tell me that it was only a minute, but it felt more like an hour that we waited. The helicopters hovered in midair, their targets locked on the building. The soldiers knelt on the ground, weapons in their hands. We all sat in agonized silence, wanting it all to be over.

And then the siege started. The soldiers stormed inside and the helicopters closed in, not shooting but preparing, in case there was any resistance. Yoosung pulled his legs up to his chest and pressed his forehead to his knees, refusing to watch. Jumin and Jaehee were silent. Zen's eyes were locked onto the table, away from the screen, narrowed. V observed the television with wide focused eyes. And Seven and I also watched it, hand in hand, silent.

And on that large screen, we saw the destruction of the organization that had (for some of us) plagued our entire lives. Moscow, Texas, Granada, Meissen, Sydney, Tokyo—bases all over the world, some hidden in plain view, and others seemingly impossible to find, all destroyed or emptied by the end of the attack. The camera returned to the base that we had seen earlier. It was covered in smoke and now completely destroyed. Rubble was scattered across the ground, piled near the decrepit walls that looked more like the remains of ruins than a former secret base. The barbed fencing that had previously surrounded the building was gone, crushed, and melded to the ground like netting. The spotlights had fallen to the ground, and broken glass was scattered across the grass. The supply crates that I had seen earlier were gone, along with any signs of life.

It was almost strange, that I had suffered from them so much and now they were destroyed. _Was it really real?_ I couldn't help but think as I observed the abandoned pile of rubble. After a few more seconds of the shot on the remains, the video cut out. The two news reporters returned shortly and began to discuss the repercussions of the attacks and more depth on Mint Eye's past. I zoned out, my mind buzzing. It didn't _feel_ real, if I was being honest.

Part of me just wanted to leave, to lock myself in my room and just think about what had happened in the last couple of weeks, who I really was, how many people I had affected, and had been affected by. To just ponder it all in the quiescent tranquility of my room, where no one else could bother me, something I hadn't been able to do in weeks. Another part of me wanted to stay here with my friends—with Seven. I was scared that it was too good to be true. That if I closed my eyes, Seven would disappear, that they all would disappear, Saeran wouldn't be on our side, and everything would go wrong.

I looked at the others for answers I wouldn't receive, who were still watching the news with grim faces. But it _wasn't_ too good to be true. Sure, everyone was okay, but we had all gone through terrible experiences to get here. Saeran and V's entire lives had been cursed by Mint Eye, Seven's as well (not to mention the injuries he had sustained.) And Jumin, Yoosung, Zen, and Jaehee had experienced a terrorist attack, something no one should ever go through. No one was untouched by it.

After a few more minutes Jumin ended up shutting off the television. We all sat in deafening silence.

"They're gone." He said finally.

"Yeah." Seven replied softy. I nodded, numb. They were right: Mint Eye was truly gone.


	15. The Aftermath (Part 2)

Chapter 15: The Aftermath (Pt 2)

* * *

Kao entered the chatroom

V: It's pretty serious, he was taken in for interrogations a few hours ago, there's nothing I can do about it.

Zen: Good, precautions should be taken to make sure he won't harm anyone else.

Jaehee Kang: I don't think it's that simple, Zen.

Yoosung: Good morning Kao

Kao: Hey guys, what's going on?

Jumin Han: Saeran is being taken in for questioning tomorrow by the police.

I swallowed nervously.

V: I did all I could to stop it, but he's been identified as a terrorist.

Jumin Han: Holding them off for the last couple of days was unbelievable enough. You did all you could.

V: Well you helped me with it too.

Kao: What's going to happen to him?

Jumin: Things don't look good for him. Yes, he held off the attack, but he still was one of the main participants in the terrorist attack and he's done terrible things in the past.

Kao:...

Jaehee Kang: It just doesn't seem right, he did save us after all.

Zen: Jaehee, you honestly support this guy? He's a terrorist. He's killed people.

Yoosung: He did seem kind of unstable…

Jumin Han: Enough. What matters is that we're all alive and well. Terrorist or not, if V trusts him I will support him.

Kao: Me too.

Jaehee Kang: As will I.

Yoosung: If everyone else trusts him then I do too!

707 joined the chatroom.

707: Heyooo

Kao: Hey Seven.

Jumin Han: Such a frivolous greeting.

Zen: Agreed.

707: What's going on?

Zen: Scroll up, man.

There was a few brief seconds of silence.

707: ...Damn it. I hoped they wouldn't target onto him so soon. After the attack there was so much press and media coverage, along with the destruction of Mint Eye that I figured we'd have enough time to get him away from the police.

Kao: Is it too late to do that now?

707: If he's already in their custody, yeah. He's a terrorist, not any normal criminal. He wasn't the leader of the attack, thank god, but he was still involved. This is pretty serious.

Kao: I'm guessing they won't allow bail.

Jaehee Kang: No, he's too serious of a terrorist for that.

V: We'll just have to wait and hope that the questioning goes well.

Yoosung: I'm sure it will!

Jumin Han: I hate to be the pessimist here, however...

Zen: You're always the pessimist.

Jumin Han: The chances of him getting out with no serious repercussions are practically zero to none. Even with a lawyer.

Kao: That's…

Jumin Han: Sad, yes, but that's life. If you do a crime and you're caught, there will be punishments no matter the reasoning. There are no true happy endings. It's better to learn that lesson early on.

Zen: Sometimes I question if you're human or not.

Jumin Han: You're the one who wanted him to be imprisoned.

Zen: It's not like that...I just think we should be sure that he's not dangerous. Think about it. First he was an official from Mint Eye and a random stranger, then all of the sudden he turned a new leaf? I just want to make sure that he won't hurt anyone.

Kao: I understand what you're saying Zen, and why you would be scared. But Saeran has a deeper connection with all of us, and RFA. He's not some random stranger.

Zen: If you all trust him...I don't really have a choice. But you should all know I'm still going to be weary.

V: That is fine, your discretion is appreciated.

Yoosung: So all we can do is wait?

Jumin Han: For now, yes. I will assign one of my best lawyers to him but other than that there is not much we can do.

Kao: I feel awful. Without him we would have…

There was silence again.

707: Can he take visitors?

V: Not right now.

707:...

V: I hate to change the topic, but there is something very important that I need to discuss with Kao.

Kao: What is it?

V: I would prefer to speak about it in private.

Jumin Han: You can come over this evening, Jaehee and I are attending an interview and Yoosung will undoubtedly be playing LOLOL in his room so you'll be alone.

Yoosung: Hey!

Jaehee Kang: It's true though.

Yoosung:...yeh….

V: Very well, I will come around 7 then if that is okay with you.

Kao: That works.

Yoosung: Why can't you tell us what it is?

V: It is something that concerns Kao and Kao only. After we discuss it I will tell all of you.

Yoosung: Alright…

Jumin Han: And Zen, the journalists are coming over to your workplace to interview you once more.

Zen: Aww~ Again?

Yoosung: It's like you enjoy it =_=

Jumin Han: Well, if anything, I'm glad that you're taking most of the spotlight off of us. You're the perfect scapegoat due to your popularity. All of the press has been flocking to you.

Zen: It's true~ After the terrorist attack my popularity skyrocketed, I have half a mind to be relieved.

Jumin Han: Don't joke about things like that.

Zen: Yeah…sorry.

Jaehee Kang: My apologies for interrupting. But what's going to happen to us?

Kao: Us?

Jaehee Kang: To RFA. The last party we had was shortly before Rika committed suicide, and now this one was interrupted by a terrorist attack. Do we have the strength to host another?

No one answered. I had also briefly pondered this. After the donor scandal and the terrorist attack, would anyone really want to come to them anymore? To my suprise, Yoosung was the first to respond.

Yoosung: I want to keep hosting them. I know some terrible things have happened but I think we're starting a new slate now.

Zen: What do you mean?

Yoosung: I don't want to stop hosting fundraisers because of what happened in the past. I want to stay with all of you and host even more of them, even if people don't show up. We all survived that attack, and I think we should be thankful of that. My way of being thankful is helping people, and our fundraisers _do_ help people.

Kao: I want to continue as well.

Zen: I do as well.

Jumin Han: I agree.

V: Jaehee?

Jaehee: I do, yes.

V: Luciel?

707: Absolutely.

V: Then it's settled. I also want to continue hosting them. I've been keeping so many secrets from all of you over the past several years, but after everything I feel...almost like another person.

707: I feel the same.

V: I think that this is a new slate for us. Not only with fundraisers but as...as individuals too.

Yoosung: T-T

Jumin Han: I can hear Yoosung crying through his door.

Yoosung: SHUDDUP!

Zen: *Shut up

Yoosung: YOU SHUDDUP TOO ZEN!

Kao: There there.

707: I can imagine Yoosung sobbing with his runny nose lolol

Yoosung: DON'T LAUGH

Jumin Han: Stop using caps, it's giving me a headache.

Zen: You're giving me a headache.

707: Oh? Is that the quick way to give Jumin a headache?

Jumin Han: I hate all things in caps.

707: What about…..

707: ELIZABETH THE 3RD!

Jumin Han: Don't you dare use her precious name in that manner. Such insolence.

V: So much for thinking we could all have a bonding moment.

707: lolol

Kao: NYAH!

Jumin Han: Not you too.

707: Kao and I are unstoppable with the power of caps.

Kao: HUZZAH!  
707: WOOHOO!

Jumin Han: Stop shitting around. This isn't the time nor the place to be joking around like this. Not considering what we've been through.

707: u don't even know where I am.

Jumin Han: I don't need to, you're always ridiculous.

Zen: I see Seven has returned to his original self. I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not.

Yoosung: Yaayyy! I actually did miss the goofy Seven!

707: Yup 3O

Jumin Han: Atrocious.

Yoosung: wat

Kao: haha

Zen: Yoosung, atrocious means sexy.

Yoosung: WHHAAAAA?

Kao: LOL

Jaehee Kang: ...No. Don't listen to them Yoosung, atrocious means appalling.

Zen: Can't believe he fell for that.

Yoosung: Zennnn T-T

Jumin Han: As if I would ever call Luciel anything remotely close to the word 'sexy.'

707: I feel so loved~

Jaehee Kang: It did feel like a piece was missing when he was gone.

Kao: Seven brings life into the chat.

It was true. He did.

Yoosung: Yup!

Jumin Han: You're all delirious.

Kao: Come on Jumin, admit it. You're glad he's back.

V: Well...I for one certainly did.

Jumin Han: Well personally, I am surprised that he's so cheerful what with the situation his brother is in. It almost makes me think he's okay with it.

There was silence and I silently cursed Jumin for saying something so blunt. Seven would never feel like that. He was probably doing his best to appear normal so he could cheer everyone else up. I knew him well enough by now to know this. I had a sneaking suspicion Jumin did as well, but just wanted to hear his response. No one said a word. I wondered if Seven was going to leave but he replied.

707: Of course I'm not okay with it haha. I still have many things that I want to talk to him about, things I want to explain and apologize for that I'm afraid I'll never get the chance to.

There was a long pause and I suddenly wanted to hug him.

707: But you're right, I guess. I shouldn't be acting like this. Not while he's going through so much.

Kao: It's okay Seven. It's important to be aware and sympathetic of what's happening, but never so much as to damage your own happiness.

Yoosung: Yea, it's important to help others take on their burdens, so long as you're not taking on all their burdens by yourself.

Kao: Exactly.

Jaehee Kang: I agree as well. No matter the events going on around us, this chatroom is a place for us to be ourselves and unload our burdens. So don't worry about acting in a particular way.

707: lol thx guys, so sweet~

Jumin Han: I suppose the chatroom did feel a little empty while he was away. Although I did enjoy the tranquility of it.

Jaehee Kang: I'm sure Mr. Han missed Luciel just as much as everyone else.

Jumin Han: Oh? Maybe I'll get rid of the cat sitter and make Assistant Kang look after Elizabeth the 3rd instead.

Jaehee Kang:..

707: hoho

Jaehee Kang: Please don't…

Jumin Han: Oh don't worry, you don't have a choice in the matter now. Make sure you give her a bath every other day. You know what kind of brand she eats, so I doubt I have to go over that once more. That is, you can be quite the forgetful assistant sometimes, perhaps I should.

Jaehee Kang: Please don't.

Zen: He's a robot.

Kao: D:

Yoosung: Rip Jaowhee…

Zen: Typo -_-

707: lolol I missed u too Jumin.

707: but mainly just Elizabeth the 3rd

Jumin Han: Good. I wouldn't want you to miss me. That would be quite unsettling.

Yoosung: Also, we have a cat sitter? Where? I've never seen her.

Jumin Han: That doesn't say much considering you rarely leave your room.

Yoosung: HEY! I've been coming out more often.

Kao: Yoosung has a point though, I've never seen her.

Jaehee Kang: She comes here very early in the morning, around 2 a.m every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, to restock Elizabeth the 3rd's food supply and give her a bath.

Jaehee Kang: There have been times that she hasn't shown up though.

Zen: I never noticed either.

Jaehee Kang: Well the last couple of weeks have been incredibly hectic...it's not surprising.

V: Indeed...so much has happened.

Kao: I really hope Saeran will be okay…

V: There's nothing we can do but hope.

707: I didn't even get a chance to talk to him again...haha

Kao: I'm sure we'll be able to soon.

707: Yeah...thanks Kao.

Jumin Han: Anyways, Assistant Kang and I must be off, we have an interview to attend.

Jaehee Kang: Yes, good night everyone.

Kao: Bye you two, stay safe.

Zen: Good night.

Yoosung: Cya!

707: Bai bai

V: Have a nice night you two.

Jumin Han has left the chatroom.

Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.

V: I'm going to get off as well. I'm going to come over to the apartment.

Kao: Alright, cya soon.

V has left the chatroom.

Zen: I'm curious what V wants to talk to you about.

Yoosung: Me too!

Kao: I honestly have no idea.

Zen: Probably something pretty serious if he wants to talk to her alone.

Yoosung: yeah...

707: well u two have fun

707: gonna get off

I felt a sharp pang. I had wanted to talk to him more.

Zen: Oh, night.

Kao: Goodnight Seven.

707 has left the chatroom

Yoosung: Night!

Kao: I'm gonna get off too.

Kao: Cya later.

Zen: Have a nice night.

Yoosung: I mean...we're right next door XD

Kao: Crap...I keep forgetting that!

Yoosung: Me too lol, it's ok

Kao: Alright, bai for now then.

Kao has left the chatroom.

* * *

I exited my room with a yawn and made myself a cup of green tea before sitting in the living room and waiting for V. He arrived within ten or so minutes and I opened the door to let him in.

"Hey, sorry for the wait." He said.

"No problem." I replied, closing it behind him. "Did you eat?"

"Not yet, I'm not that hungry though." I glanced at him, worried.

"You should eat." I insisted. "It's easy for your body to forget how hungry you actually are when you're under a lot of stress." He chuckled.

"Thank you for your concern. But I'm fine, I had a late lunch."

"Ah, alright. Want something to drink?" He glanced at my cup.

"Some tea if you don't mind."

"Not at all." I walked over to the counter and quickly made a cup before handing it to him. Steam swirled up from it briskly. Gratefully, he took it.

"What did you have to talk about?" He paused. It was a fleeting, but I saw his mint colored eyes flick around the room. I observed him, a little worried. What was so important that he had to be this secretive?

"Mind if we speak in your room?" He inquired politely. I hesitated briefly before shaking my head and opened the door to my room. V closed the door behind us. There was silence between us. "You're probably wondering why I refuse to talk to any of the others about this." He said finally.

"That is one of the many questions I have asked myself, yes." I responded with a nod.

"You remember the software I was talking to you about earlier? The one your parents made?"

"The one that could hack past anything?"

"Yes." He paused to run his fingertips along my desk and then held them up to his face. "No dust, I see Jumin keeps this place spotless."

"That was me actually." I replied, sitting on the bed. "He was kind enough to let me stay here so I wanted to keep it clean."

"That was nice of you." There was a slight edge to his voice. He turned and leaned against the wall with a sigh. "Kao, do you know what I'm here for?" I observed him, silent. Then nodded.

"You want me to decide what to do with it. The software."

"That is correct. Your parents left it up to their only daughter to decide what would happen to it, since they could not. However, after they were killed it was too dangerous to involve you with it again, because Mint Eye was after you. But now they're gone now." There was silence. "Have you thought about it?" He inquired finally.

"A little." I admitted. "But I don't think it should be my decision. It...it could do so much, both for good and bad. I don't have the right to-"

"You are the only one who has the right." V interjected. "You are their daughter. If anything, they trusted you enough to leave that decision to you."

"But I'm not their daughter!" I replied adamantly. "Not really...I didn't even know them! I have one memory of them—one—and that's of my mother. I can't even remember her face." Trembling, I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip before placing it back on my lap. "It...it doesn't feel like they're my parents."

"Why not? You've always known you were adopted, surely you've imagined who they could be." V was calm, but I could tell that he was struggling to understand. I was silent.

"Say you're reading a story," I said finally, "And there's a character that's lived their entire life a servant." I looked up at him. "They suddenly learn that their parents are actually royalty. But even so, that character doesn't consider themselves anything else but a servant, because, to them, that _is_ what they are, and that's all they've viewed themselves as for their entire life."

V pondered this and nodded slowly. "Hmm. I suppose that makes sense." He paused. "So you don't want to make the decision?"

"I-" I broke off. "I'm just scared that I won't make the right one." I whispered. It was true. This software could be used by our government for good, it could help people, it could prevent terrorist attacks, and actions that could harm others. But it could also be a weapon. What if it fell into the wrong hands? Into the hands of an organization like Mint Eye? Or what if our own government used it for corrupted reasons and ended up hurting people? V knelt down in front of me, his bright pale eyes filled with sympathy.

"Listen, I know this is a lot to think about, and I know you're still dealing with a lot. But I think this is an important decision and you can make it."

"Thanks V." I replied, wryly. My mind was silence between us. "I think...I think I know what to do,:

"So you've made your choice…? He asked finally. I swallowed.

"...Yes."

"Then come with me."

"What?" I looked up at him, inquisitive. "...Where?"

"You'll see." He turned away from me and then glanced over his shoulder. "If you'll come that is." Our eyes met and his lips curled up into a kind smile. Sometimes I forgot that, like Saeran, V had been watching me for the majority of my life as well. He knew what I was like, what I had been through. He knew that above all else, curiosity was something that always drove me. It almost wasn't fair, considering how little I knew of him. I sighed and then stood up.

"...Alright."

No one stopped us when we exited the apartment. I could hear the furious tapping of keys from Yoosung's room as we passed. Zen was at work and Jumin and Jaehee wouldn't return from their interview for quite some time, so I flicked the lights off before we stepped outside.

Slowly, summer was fading away. It was a gradual change, one that tourists and visitors weren't able to pinpoint, but rather only by people who had lived in Seoul their entire lives. It wasn't just a change in the temperature, but one in the atmosphere, that is to say, (not the actual atmosphere) but the ambience or mood. In summer there was excitement and freedom. It was in the air; when students were let out of school, when the beaches opened once more, when the cicadas came out. But currently, there was none of that.

This wasn't necesarrily a bad thing. It was tranquil and contemplative. The days were getting shorter, the nights longer. Students were getting ready to return to school. The leaves were no longer a crisp emerald green, but their edges were tinted crimson and gold—just beginning to turn and fall from their branches. The aroma of campfires and burnt wood could be smelled, filtering through alleyways and markets. Autumn was my favorite season, and it always had been. Something about watching the world transform from vibrance to tranquility had always stunned me. Winter was beautiful, yes, but it was cold—an empty beauty. Spring was wet and windy, gorgeous towards the end, but then wasn't it just the beginning of summer?

I pondered this as I walked out of the apartment and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, observing the street that was bathed in a warm apricot glow. The sun was beginning to set. V's car was parked in front of the apartment. It was colored a dark blue, and was small but elegant, seemingly fitting for him. He took out his keys, clicking a button on it before opening the door on his side and glancing at me.

"You coming?" I blinked. "Yeah sorry." I opened the door in front of me, ducking inside.

"Hmmm. V, what's your favorite season?" I inquired suddenly, as he started the car and we pulled out of the street.

"My favorite what?"

"Season." He was thrown off guard by this question, and stayed silent for a little.

"Hmm...For the longest time I liked winter the most." He replied finally, his mint colored eyes locked onto the road. We came to a stop at a light.

"Why?"

"Well, to me, it was mysterious. Because it's so hot here, I was never able to see layers upon layers of snow, icicles that were twelve inches long, snowmen that scattered the lawns, things that I would see in movies. I had always dreamed what winter would look like." There was a wistfulness in his voice. I listened intently as the light changed to green and we drove forward. "But when I met Rika, the summer immediately became my favorite; the hot days, the hopefulness, and the freedom. Her bright smile was like the sun." He paused. "She _was_ my summer." His face was filled with memories of her, I could tell. Things that I couldn't intrude upon.

"I'm sorry." I said finally. He glanced at me.

"What for?"

"For making you talk about her."

"You didn't make me do anything, I mentioned her of my own accord." We turned a sharp corner. "Besides, when I think about her now, she just makes me smile." I nodded slowly. Silence fell between us as I looked out the window. Tall buildings and little markets flew behind us. The warm light played hide and go seek as it popped out, illuminating an alleyway, before it disappeared behind a skyscraper, and then popped out once more. Large billboards and signs were scattered across the walls, some missing a letter, others blinking vibrantly.

"There was something I forgot to mention to the others." V said after a few minutes of silence. "About...Rika." I glanced at him. "She knew about you, about Mint Eye, all of it. I tried to keep it from her but, of course, she eventually found out. She couldn't understand it, why I would harbor and protect someone I didn't even know. She was...jealous at first, of you I mean." My eyes widened. "I don't think she realized at the time that I might have hated you just as much. Sorry, you know I don't anymore, right?" He added quickly.

"It's fine." I replied with a laugh. "I know."

"Well, at the time, Rika was constantly worried that something would happen to me, that I would be hurt. Eventually we got into arguments where she would try to convince me to forget about Mint Eye, stop protecting you, and just focus on RFA." I was silent. "You know, there's a misconception about her." V began. "Everyone thinks that she was perfect, that she was always kind. And she _was_ kind, in her own way. But she was also selfish, Kao, selfish and scared, and I loved her for it. I wouldn't care if she ripped out my eyes, my heart, or my soul, I loved her so much it scared me." My fingers interlocked together tightly.

"Why did you go against her then?" I whispered. "Why'd you keep protecting me?"

"Because my love for my father was almost just as great." V replied. "And because I knew how important you were. If Mint Eye got what they wanted there would be hell to pay. I almost did stop though, there were times when I wanted to just forget about everyone else and run away with her. But...soon it was too late. She became miserable and...well you know."

"I'm...so sorry." I whispered. V stiffened. "It's my fault-"

"Oh no, please don't apologize. I didn't want to tell you that story so you would feel bad about it. I told you because I wanted you to know about the real Rika, why she had died." We escaped the towering skyscrapers and small markets of Seoul and our view eventually opened up into the countryside; endless rice fields, green hills, and large clouds. "At first I _did_ blame you for her death, but then I blamed myself even more." His fingers tapped the wheel. "However, recently I've learned that there was no one to blame but Rika herself." He looked at me. "There was something dark in Rika. And that something drew me to her. It made me want to help her, and simultaneously indulge myself in that darkness." He looked away. "In the end, I wasn't able to heal her, but she also didn't make an effort to heal herself. She wanted to be helped, but also refused to receive any. She was a...complicated person." I nodded numbly.

"This may be a rude question," I began, glancing at him for confirmation.

"That's fine."

"But if she was...as dark as you said, how could she have been your sun?"

"Oh don't get me wrong, she had darkness in her, yes, but she could also shine brighter than anyone else. There were times when, if you were in the same room with her, you would be drawn to her, to her smile. Blinded almost. I would think to myself, this must have been what she was like before darkness entered her heart. I was drawn to her."

"What happened to her? That made her dark I mean." V was silent.

"I could never bring myself to ask." I blinked. "I know what you're thinking." He added. "How could I have never asked that? I wanted to, I did, I thought about it everyday. But I was scared that it would break her. I respected her privacy and thought that she would tell me when the time came. Of course, it never did." My mind began to race. What could have happened to her? Rika?

We came to a slow stop in a place that I did not recognize. From what I could see, we were in the middle of nowhere, near the edge of a forest. There was a winding gravel road that led to a collection of what looked to be ruins and pillars. V turned off the car.

"We're here."

We got out of the car and I looked around, entranced. We were in a little clearing that was almost entirely bordered by trees. A serene breeze was in the air that rustled the long blades of grass that lined the many hills. The sky was a dome around us, cloudless, beautiful. I felt that if I tried hard enough, I could reach it. There were purple wildflowers that danced in the breeze. I knelt down and picked a handful of them, a smile on my face.

"Lovely place, isn't it?" V asked, shutting the car door.

"Very." I replied, putting the wildflowers in my pocket. "Where are we?" Instead of replying, he merely began to walk forward. His footsteps crunched in the gravel.

"Follow me." He said. I obliged and together, the two of us walked down the rocky pathway. The ruins became bigger and bigger, allowing me to see them in detail. They were made of marble, all exquisitely carved and shaped. Eventually, I realized that it was a graveyard. My eyes widened.

"Is this…" My voice trailed off as we left the gravel road, our feet crushing the soft grass. We stopped. A small black gateway stood before us, marking the entrance to the graveyard. I could see the ivy that spiraled and twisted around the black bars. Beside the gate was a silver plaque that read: Dedicated to Goo Tai-Hee and Lee Seo-Yon.

"This used to be where your parents lived." V said. "Your house was here, before the fire burnt it down. But even after their deaths, they could never bear to build on top of this place." V replied, following my gaze. "Your parents were well loved, so they built a memorial instead. It was my father's idea." He took a silver key out of his pocket and slid it into a keyhole, twisting it. A satisfying click could be heard and he grabbed one of the bars, slowly pulling it open. There was a loud creak. "We're not exactly supposed to be in here," V began, "but since my father was one of the main people responsible for building this…" He waved the silver key in front of me before pocketing it. "Convenient, I suppose." I nodded, not knowing what else to say. This was where my parents had died? Where I had almost died? V took a few steps inside and then glanced at me, waiting respectfully. I swallowed and looked down, watching as my own foot stepped inside. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be alright." I looked up and continued walking forward, shoving my hands in my pockets.

* * *

It was a beautiful memorial, well made and well kept. Shrubs of roses lined the inside of the black fence that surrounded us. A fountain was in the middle. I timidly held out a hand, my lips curling upwards when the cool water cascaded onto my skin, reflecting the light of the setting sun. There were statues scattered around, all white and marble, all posing, their faces showing their intense emotions. I could see every detail; their curly hair, their eyes, their rippling clothing. I ran my hands across a sculpted arm in awe.

"It looks like a garden fit for a palace." I whispered.

"My father wanted to give them the best burial he could." V said. "I've only been here once before, it hasn't changed since."

"It's wonderful."

"Indeed it is." We passed the fountain and two large tees that stood next to one another before coming to a stop. Thin steps led up to a tall mausoleum with marble pillars and a metal gate for a door. There were vibrant rose petals scattered across the white steps, fluttering in the breeze. It looked like something out of a dream. V took a few steps forward and unlocked the door to the memorial with the same key before pushing it open. I forced myself to move forward and together we walked inside.

* * *

From what I could see, there was a long marble stairway that led underground, before eventually disappearing into darkness. V pulled out his cellphone and tapped the screen. I winced as a bright stream of light suddenly flooded from it.

"Watch your step." He warned. We made slow progress downwards, our hands sliding down the smooth walls as we descended deeper and deeper. I was filled with both trepidation and excitement. My heart thudded violently.

Several minutes passed before we finally reached the bottom. V held up his phone, letting light fill the room. It was made completely out of white marble, with what looked like a well in the middle of it. I could see carvings and symbols on the ceiling. Against the wall were two coffins, side by side, decorated and inscribed with small messages and words that I couldn't quite make out. V walked up to the coffins, I joined him.

"May they rest in peace." He murmured before looking at me. "These are the remains of your parents from the fire. My father wanted a proper place for them." I nodded numbly. Hesitating, I brushed the marble surface of a coffin. It was smooth and cold to the touch. I shivered. This is where I would have been if V's father had not saved me.

"Thank you V." I whispered. V glanced at me. "For protecting me all this time. And thank you to your father as well...without you two I'd be…"

"It's alright Kao." He smiled warmly. "It was our pleasure." Quickly, I gave him a hug, because I couldn't find anything else to say that would properly display my gratitude. He hugged me back.

"Want to talk to them?" He asked finally when we broke away. I looked at the coffins.

"I…" I paused. "Yes." I looked at the coffins for a little, silent. V rested a hand on my shoulder. I saw him turn away. I felt like I was supposed to say something, like I was supposed to...mourn them. But I didn't feel sad, just...lost. I didn't even know them. "Hi Mom...Dad." I whispered. It felt so unreal, like I was calling my parents two random adults I'd never met before. "It's been a while huh…"

I had spent most of my time in the orphanage imagining all the things I would say to my birth parents if I ever had the chance to meet them, most of them admittedly being spiteful. 'Why did you leave me?' 'Why couldn't you give me a chance?' 'Was I not good enough for you?' But now, those words were meaningless in my mouth, void of meaning. They were words of a orphan who just missed her parents. Now that I knew what had happened, what they had done for me, I didn't know what to say. I had always envisioned my parents as selfish, uncaring people who had merely left me on the side of the road, but it was so much more than that.

"I'm sorry-" I began to say before shaking my head. "I mean...thank you. For bringing me into this world." I swallowed. Unfortunately they weren't alive for me to hug them. I reached into my pocket and gently laid a purple wildflower on each grave.

I stood up and turned, expecting to see V waiting to go back upstairs, but to my surprise he was looking into the well, his back to me. I joined him and peered inside. The water was still. Even with the bright light from V's phone, I couldn't see the bottom of it.

"V?" I questioned, when he hadn't moved. V didn't respond. His pale blue eyes peered into the water, silent. He leaned away from it and knelt down, his face close to the wall of the well where he held his phone to a silver plaque that I hadn't noticed before. I knelt down beside him.

"To the purest of blood, may your ancestry pave the way to your truth." I murmured. "What does that mean?" For the first time, V seemed to hear me, because he blinked and quickly glanced at me.

"Do you remember what I said? At the hospital?"

"About what?"

"The system your parents invented." After peering at my confused face V clarified for me. "They placed the entire system it in a single chip and locked it it in a vault deep underground, sealing it so it would be impossible for anyone to enter. Anyone but their descendants, as it was sealed with an imperfect DNA identification system, otherwise unreachable for anyone else."

"So this is…" My eyes widened.

"Correct."

"How do I…"

"I'm not sure, my father wasn't clear on that part." V ran his free hand over the smooth marble wall of the well, erasing a thin layer of dust. He rubbed it between his fingers.

"It's like Indiana Jones." I said with a laugh. He looked at me.

"Pardon?"

"Oh it's a movie about a treasure hunter." I clarified, embarrassed that I had brought it up. "He solves things like this." _If Seven were here, he probably would have quoted it._ I thought to myself wistfully. Without thinking, I gently pressed my entire hand onto the plaque, my fingers outstretched. V looked at me.

"You think it would be that easy?"

"I don't see why not, this wasn't meant to be hard to figure out." Suddenly I felt a sharp prick and let out an 'ouch,' pulling back my hand. There was a tiny sliver on my hand, where blood began to form.

"You alright?" V asked worriedly.

"It's just a small cut." I reassured. We both looked back at the plaque that had a tiny metal blade in the middle of the letter e of the word 'ancestry.' I could see my blood on it. It withdrew, sliding into a tiny crack before it sealed shut. V and I waited in anticipated silence, unsure what was going to happen next. I was about to say something before we felt a soft rumble, and then the loud clicking of a machine. V and I exchanged glances before we both abruptly stood up and gripped the edge of the well to peer inside.

The water was rumbling. I could see ripples of it flicker as the light from V's phone filled the inside of the well. I could see something beneath the surface of the water move, as if a secret entrance was being opened up. And then, slowly, the water began to drain. It loudly splashed against the sides, angrily swirling down what looked like a spiral staircase that was being formed. Eventually, it disappeared from sight, leaving small droplets and puddles that dripped down the steps.

"Awesome." I said finally.

"How innovative." V whispered. I grabbed the side of the well and hoisted myself over, landing inside with a grunt. V followed me in, landing with a soft splash into a puddle. The spiral staircase had no railing and was quite thin, as the entire well was only around the average arm span of a person.

"I have a feeling it's a long way down." I said, my heart beating rapidly.

"As do I." V squeezed in front of me, shining his phone down into the darkness. "Let's go."

It was a _very_ long way down. Nearly five minutes passed and nothing had changed. It was the same marble walls and the same marble staircase over and over again. Half of me was convinced we would arrive at China if we kept going at this rate.

"So how did my parents build this vault?" I questioned finally.

"What do you mean?" V asked, not turning to look at me.

"I mean, how did they build a vault under their tomb when they weren't dead yet?"

"Well they build the vault directly under the house when they were alive, with this staircase implemented into it, originally there was no mausoleum. Besides your parents, my father was the only person who knew about it. After they died he knew that you might come back one day for it, and so he build this mausoleum and connected the vault to it. No one even knew that the respectful memorial built for your parents was also the entrance to their vault."

"So he made the modifications afterwards?"

"Correct."

"But wouldn't he _want_ it sealed forever? Even if it meant I couldn't enter? That way no one could reach it."

"It doesn't matter if it was uncovered or not, no one could enter without being a direct descendent anyways so he wasn't worried about it." I nodded slowly.

"And how did my parents build such an advanced...thing?" I questioned. "I mean this was twenty or so years ago. I don't even know if DNA identification existed then."

"The very basics of it did. And besides, your parents were geniuses. They worked with the best of the best to create the best of the best. They used technology that was not yet known to the outside world and even invented some of their own. If they were still alive…" V stopped abruptly. "Well...they would be even more famous, I'll just put it that way." I felt a sudden pang in my chest. It wasn't fair. For there to be so much potential and promise in their lives and have it all be taken away from them, just like that. V stopped suddenly, nearly making me crash into him. "Look." He whispered. I stepped to the side of him and then gasped.

A long gaping hallway spanned in front of us with a reflective floor that shined from the light from V's phone. Archways lined the ceiling and towered above us. Darkness covered the rest of the corridor, but I suspected years ago it had been fully lit.

"...Wow." I said. "I can't believe this was all built underground without anyone noticing."

"Your parents had practically everything at their disposal." V said, though I could tell that even he was in awe. We continued down the corridor. I could hear our light footsteps echo down the hallway. Years ago, I had actually _lived_ on top of this! Within a few seconds we reached the end of the corridor, which was covered in metal. I could see the outline of a metal door, where there was a large black rectangle made from black glass in the middle of it.

I gaped at it. "This is…"

"The entrance to the vault." V finished. "Of course...they had two identification panels. The first one for that well upstairs wouldn't have done much, since someone could have just drilled their way down here. This must be practically indestructible." He knocked against the metal with his knuckles and then gestured to the black glass. I gently placed my hand onto the cool surface and sucked in a breath, flinching when I felt the sharp prick once more. I retracted my hand. There was a gentle rumble beneath us and we both took a few steps backwards, looking up simultaneously as small horizontal lines formed in the metal wall, quickly moving up and down, and then left and right. Then they slid apart, slowly revealing darkness behind it. We were silent.

"Go." V said finally. I looked at him and he gestured inside. "What's in there was meant for your eyes, and yours alone. I'll be waiting near the stairs." I hesitated, almost afraid of being alone, but then nodded. V gave me a comforting smile and then turned around, his hands in his pockets. I stood there, watching as he became smaller and smaller and then turned around before venturing inside.

I turned on the flashlight in my own phone and held it up above me, illuminating the space. The opening in the metal wall had led to another corridor, except this one was much smaller and more narrow. There were photos that lined the walls of people that I did not recognize, and of places that I had never seen before. I stopped at one in particular, shining light on it. It was a large group photo comprised of several adults all huddled together. I spotted two people whom I recognized to be my parents in the middle, except that they were much younger. I wiped the picture with my sleeve to erase the layer of dust that had settled upon it before continuing down the hallway.

As I progressed down the corridor, I realized that the pictures on the wall formed a timeline. I spotted my parents at a dinner table, cheeks pink, their eyes crinkled with awkward laughter—the kind that can only be seen on first dates. Then them holding hands on a pier dock, the bright blue sky above them. Then a wedding picture, where my mother was dressed in a flowing white gown, kissing my father who was dressed in a sharp suit. Then a smaller picture that caught my eye; of my parents who stood on a field in front of a gorgeous manor, holding a baby wrapped in blankets. Below the photo was a small label that read 'Our newborn child!' in beautiful cursive letters. My throat clenched and I squinted, trying to get a look at it's face. That was me. I was tiny, my face scrunched up in a miserable expression as I peered at the camera. I smiled a little before continuing on.

Eventually I reached the end of the hallway. I held up my phone and my eyes widened. The corridor led into a large pentagon shaped room. It was filled with little trinkets, pictures, toys, books, and souvenirs. There were stacks upon stacks of them. In the middle of the room was a single cherrywood box bordered with gold that sat on a plush velvet cushion. I already knew what was in it. I knelt down onto the reflective floor and gently opened the box which made a soft click. The interior of the box was lined with velvet, and in the bottom of it was a chip that was no bigger than a fingernail. I stared at it.

Everything had evolved around this, this miniscule object that Mint Eye had killed for, and that V had protected me for. This single chip. It was hard to believe that something so small could be so important. And it was up to me to decide what would happen to it. I closed the box slowly and then looked up at the stacks of trinkets around me. I realized that this had not just been a vault for the software, but a vault dedicated to me. It was filled with memories I would never recall, objects that I had never seen. It was the physical form of a will that my parents had bestowed to me. I stood up and reached for a large book that was lying on the floor. I opened it up and realized that it was a photo album.

I saw my parents, smiling, happy. Then me, chubby with a angry face. Then me, less angry with the first signs of hair on my head, ketchup on my chin. Then me again, sitting on a piano bench, my mother holding my arms as my little fingers touched one of the keys. Slowly, I pressed the book to my chest and squeezed my eyes shut. I remembered that memory. That was my only memory of my parents.

 _I missed them._

I would have wanted that life, a life happy and free, untroubled and blessed. And in that brief moment, I wished that my parents had never invented the software, that Mint Eye had never existed, because then...maybe...I might have been able to have this life. A sob escaped me as a tear rolled down my cheek. I had never imagined that they had loved me this much, that for the first couple months of my life, I had been so treasured. I wiped my tear away but another one quickly took its place.

"Mom...Dad." I whispered. And this was the first time that I really was mournful, that I was in agonizing pain, because this was the first time that I felt connected to them. _I_ was in those pictures. _I_ was smiling in them, and they were too. Why couldn't that last forever? Why couldn't that happiness last forever? Numb, I sniffled and quickly rubbed my eyes. I gently hugged the album to my chest. "Thank you." I whispered. Then I looked down and grabbed the box with the chip in it with my free hand. But if the software had never been invented, I would have never met the others. I would have never joined RFA, and I would have never met Seven. I swallowed. Yes, I was certain what I wanted to do with it now, the chip. And I think from the beginning, from the moment I had learned about it, a part of me had already decided.

V was waiting, as he had said, by the stairs. He glanced at me when I stopped in front of him.

"Are you alright?" He briefly observed my eyes that I guessed were red. I nodded, looking at the ground. "What happened?" I was silent before peering into his eyes.

"I destroyed it." I replied softly. It had been so easy. I had merely smashed it with my foot and now it was gone, forever, unable to hurt anyone ever again.

"I see."

"Do you think I made the right decision?" I whispered. I still held the album in my arms.

"That is not for me to decide." V replied. He patted me on the shoulder. "Are you ready to go?"

"The vault was filled with other things." I said quickly. "Not just the chip. I...I would like to take them all with me but there's a lot." V blinked.

"I can help you load them onto the car if you want."

"I'm sorry…It'll take a while." I muttered. "I don't mean to trouble you."

"Those are the only things that your parents left you." He reassured. "If my father had left me an entire vault before his death, I would want every single thing inside. I understand. But is it okay for me to come in there? It seems like a private place." I smiled a little. V was kind and warm. He reminded me a little bit of a father figure and I felt safe around him.

"I don't mind."

* * *

It took almost three hours to load everything up and when we finally got back in the car the sky was dark and filled with stars. I shut the car door and let out a long sigh. V started the engine.

"Sorry that took so long." I said.

"It's fine." V reassured as we turned around and started to drive back the way we had came.

* * *

It was almost 1 in the morning by the time we got back and finished moving everything in my room. V put down the last stack of books and heaved out a sigh.

"I think that's the last of them."

"Thank you so much for the help." I said. I set down a box of trinkets beside my bed.

"What's going on?" We both turned to see Yoosung who was standing in the doorway, rubbing his eyes and peering at us tiredly. They widened slightly and then he blinked. "What's all this?"

"It's a lot to explain, we can talk about it tomorrow." V said as he walked out of my room and patted Yoosung's head. "You should get some sleep."

"I'm...playing LOLOL." Yoosung slurred. He yawned loudly.

"Don't you think that's enough for tonight?" V asked. Yoosung shook his head.

"The exp event just started…"

"Yoosung your sleep is more valuable." I added with a slight frown.

"Debatable." He said slowly.

"No, it's not." V replied gently. Yoosung sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, alright, I'll turn it off." He trudged back into his room. V and I smiled tiredly.

"Goodnight Kao, talk to you tomorrow." I nodded.

"Night." He left the room after closing the door softly behind him. I sat on my bed and then reached for the album, squeezing it close to my chest. I exhaled a deep sigh before I fell onto the bed and turned off the light, submerging the room in darkness.

-ping-

My eyes instantly opened and I reached into pocket to pull out my phone. It turned on, making me flinch as I read the message.

707: You there?

My heartbeat thudded. I hadn't expected him to message me. Especially at this time of night. I rolled onto my side and stared at my phone before clicking the screen.

Kao: Yeah.

A pause.

707: Hey. What did V talk to you about?

Kao: It's...a long story haha, but he's going to tell everyone tomorrow.

707: Ah…

There was silence. I looked away from the phone, at the empty spot next to me. I imagined that Seven was there, on his side, his head resting on his arm, smiling at me like he had at the hospital. My heart clenched as I saw his icon go offline.

Kao: How have you been?

I just wanted to talk to him more. I waited a bit, but he didn't come back online. I bit my lip and buried my face in my pillow with an angry sigh.

-ping-

My eyes snapped open and I looked at my phone.

707: ...stressed lol. I just hope that my brother will be okay.

That's right...Saeran had been captured by the police in for questioning...Admittedly I had forgotten about it, what with the vault and the memories of my parents. My fingers were still. I wanted to comfort him, but what could I say? We both knew that there was a very low chance of him escaping with light repercussions.

Kao: Me too.

707: We haven't been able to talk about much since the hospital.

Kao: Yeah, so much has happened lately. I kind of just want it to go back to normal.

707: Mhmm. Are you going to move back into your apartment? Mint Eye is gone now so you should be safe.

Ah, right.

Kao: Probably. Jumin's already been getting on edge about so many people living there. But how have you been? Is your ankle okay?

707: Yeah it's alright. I still have the cast but the doctor said it should be off soon haha.

I smiled.

Kao: Good to hear.

Half of me wanted to just drive to the hospital and kiss him.

Kao: It feels like such a long time since we talked lol, I want to see you.

A pause. I remembered what had happened at the hospital, when we had almost kissed. I swallowed.

707: Believe me, I feel the same lol. After all of this is over I want to see you. And I'll make it up.

Kao: Make what up?

707: The kiss, you said it was terrible.

Kao: That was a joke! I didn't think it was terrible at all!

707: Oh? So you enjoyed it as well?

I flushed. My fingers hesitated over the screen.

707: Hmm?~

Kao:...

707: Kao~

Kao: not gonna answer that.

707: I think you did. But why do you refuse to answer?

Kao: So how was your day?

707: Oh you did not just ignore me.

Kao: ...Fine. I thought the kiss was…meh.

That was a lie, of course, but I couldn't be fully honest with him. It was too embarrassing.

707: Yeah? I'll show you pretty fantastic kissing right now.

I giggled.

Kao: Yeah?

707: Yeah.

Kao: Then how come you're not here?

707: Ahh right. Well unfortunately, my dear, I'm unable to walk right now, but if you feel like coming over go ahead.

707: Although the visiting hours are over, so I'm afraid you'll just have to wait.

Kao: I could sneak in.

707: Do iiiiit!

Kao: ….but unlike you I'm not a secret agent. I'd be caught right away.

707: Ah~ what a tragedy, we want to see one another but fate is keeping us apart. It's like Romeo and Juliet.

Kao: "Romeo oh Romeo, where art thou Romeo."

707: "In the hospital with a twisted ankle."

Kao: "How cruel! Whoever did this to you?!"

707: "A terribly evil thing called bad luck."

Kao: "I shall slay it for you!"

707: "No, my lovely, you are much too pure. You cannot risk your life for me."

Kao: "But I must."

707: "Why?"

Kao: "Because I love you."

I flushed when I realized what I had said. There was silence.

707: "I suppose love can be justification for anything, can't it?"

I let out a slow breath. That's right, I had just been in character.

Kao: "Yes. It is a scary thing."

707: "Indeed. But how can a princess risk her life to save the prince? Doesn't that mean the prince is weak?"

Kao: "Not at all. Sometimes even the prince needs help. Who said the princess had to be helpless?"

707: "Hmm...I suppose you are correct. You are quite different, Juliet. I have never met a girl like you."

Kao: "And you, Romeo, are quite special as well."

I smiled. There was silence.

Kao: Hey...promise me that as soon as you get out of the hospital, you'll tell me.

707: I promise. It should only be a few more days.

Kao: Okay…

707: Oh

707: Sorry, I don't want to go but it's getting pretty late and I'm exhausted.

707: I'm probably going to get some sleep.

Kao: Ah, alright.

707: Have a nice night, Kao.

Kao: You too ^^

707: This Romeo will be out of his capture soon to whisk you away~

Kao: And this Juliet will be waiting~

* * *

I already have the next chapter finished (which is the final one) and I just have to edit it. I'll be posting it Tuesday next week. I know that the last two chapters were info blasts but I hope that they were easy to understand! Thanks for your patience! Next chapter is full of Kao and Seven moments! Yey!


	16. Final Chapter: Seoyoung

Final Chapter- Seoyoung

Seven's P.O.V

Three Months Later

I hobbled through the corridor, my crutches under my arms as I walked past the kitchen and entered the living room. It was just as I had remembered it, as if I had walked into a distant memory or an old picture. Beautiful photographs hung around the walls, some of vibrant forests, others of apricot sunsets, and then a few of monochrome buildings and apartments. A half open, glass sliding door covered the right wall, which lead to a small balcony. Sunlight streamed into the room and fell across the beige floorboards. Two white couches were in the middle of the room, like I had remembered, except now there was a coffee table between them. My brother sat on one of the couches, and his head was turned towards the glass door. He blinked and then looked at me. I stared at him, waiting. Was he going to yell at me? Look disgusted? Saeran's mint green eyes observed me, with neither warmth or coldness, before he gave me a nod. I blinked.

"Luciel." He greeted. There was no malice in his voice. I swallowed, searching for something to say before V appeared beside me, carrying a tea tray.

"Ah, you're here."

"Sorry I was late." I said finally.

"Don't worry about it." V set down the tray and poured two cups of tea. Saeran accepted it with a soft 'thank you.'

"Saeran…" I began. He looked at me calmly. I stiffened and then looked away. "Um... congrats on getting released." I finished softly. Did I have the right to say that?

"Ah...thanks." My eyes flicked back towards him. He was much quieter than I remembered. His hair was it's natural color now, red—like mine—and he looked much healthier. The bags under his eyes were gone and the crazed look in his eyes had been replaced with a peacefulness that I remembered seeing in him as a kid—when we were both kids. I felt a stab of pain and nostalgia. I never thought that I could see him like this again. I thought that this part of him had been lost forever, like our bond as siblings after I had left. The sunlight that streamed in through the sliding door embraced the room in a gentle warmth.

"You look a lot better." I said quietly. "I'm glad."

"The treatment helped a lot." Saeran said softly. His pale fingers circled the rim of the cup.

"Luciel, do sit down." V said with a laugh. "You're just standing there. It's making me uncomfortable."

"Ah…sorry." I hobbled over to couch opposite my brother and sat down, placing my crutches against the table. V handed me a cup.

"Thanks…" I muttered. I glanced at Saeran who was observing me silently.

"I'm going to leave you both to it." Said V. "I'll be in the next room if you need anything." I swallowed as he left the living room. Silence fell between Saeran and I. A breeze whisked in through the sliding door, lightly making the white tablecloth on the coffee table flutter.

"It's really a miracle, what happened." I said finally. "I'm...I'm really glad you're okay."

"Thanks." Saeran replied softly.

After Saeran had been arrested by the police, he had undergone a series of trials to determine his sentence. The judge had eventually deemed him mentally unstable, and that he hadn't been in his right mind during the crimes he had committed. He was released—with repercussions of course—but released nonetheless. He was now staying at V's house, and a mental therapist had been assigned to him to help him recover. Since then, this had been the first time I had been allowed to visit.

"Sorry I wasn't able to come sooner." I said finally.

"You couldn't help it. I know they wouldn't yet you visit." He replied quietly. More silence. Saeran took a sip of tea.

"...Luciel," He began, "I wanted to…to apologize." I blinked.

"Apologize?"

"Yes...for everything." His grip around his cup tightened before he took a deep breath and his shoulders relaxed. "These last couple of years I've done so many awful things, to so many people."

"Saeran, you don't have to-"

"I do." He interrupted. "I do have to apologize." He bent his head over his cup and sighed. "Over the years...in my mind, I made you an enemy. Deep down, I knew that you didn't leave me just for just yourself, that you really were thinking of me too. And how could I blame you for wanting to prove yourself…? You had always been so skilled...you deserved recognition. And I was only holding you back."

"No-"

"Let me finish." He glanced at me briefly before looking down once more. "After I joined Mint Eye...I watched you, I couldn't help it, you were my brother. I saw how...how distraught you were after I had gone. But after a while I convinced myself to ignore it...because then I-I would feel awful too. I was a coward. I still am a coward. I'm not fully healed yet, everything isn't perfect for me, and it will never be. But-" He paused to take another sip of tea. "But this is a new slate for me. I can look back on the past now, without malice and hatred and guilt." Saeran looked at me. "Luciel...I'm so sorry. I know that isn't enough, and it'll never be enough. I did so many...awful things. I used people, and I...enjoyed it. It felt good to take advantage of others, so that I could try ignore that feeling of _being_ used. I was really going to hurt you—kill you." His lower lip trembled and his face became wretched. "I'm-I'm-" He was cut off as I got up, hobbled around the coffee table, and hugged him. His shoulders stiffened.

"I forgive you." I whispered.

"You shouldn't." Saeran replied softly. He was trembling. "I...thought you'd-"

"I will always forgive you." I said again. "You're my little brother." After I released him, I blinked when I saw his eyes water. He bit his lip.

"Luciel…" He whispered, voice breaking. He began to sob. "I'm...sorry." He wrapped his arms around my neck and began to sob uncontrollably. I smiled and patted his head. It was just like when we were kids. When he would run, crying, to me.

"I'm here." I whispered. "You'll be okay." I glanced at V, who was leaning against the doorway, a warm smile on his face. I knew he could see it too. Those two brothers, those close siblings, who would always run to one another, who would always rely on each other, that he had seen so many years ago. I smiled back at him and then closed my eyes. My brother was back. For the first time in years, he was really back. And then, I too, began to cry with happiness.

"So when are you getting your cast off?" Saeran asked. After the sob fest, everything had settled down, and now he was excitedly asking me question after question—just like he had when we were little.

"Tomorrow." I replied with a grin. His eyes widened.

"Really?!"

"Yup, I've had it for almost three months now." I sighed, putting my hands behind my head. "I don't even really need it now, but they refused to take it off until the set date."

"Wow, I'm...happy for you."

"Thanks." I responded.

"And how are things with Kao?" Saeran asked with a smile. I blinked, instantly flushing at the sound of her name.

"Err…What do you mean?"

"Well, you clearly both like each other. So what's going on? Are you two dating? Gonna get married? Have children-"

"Okay, okay, just cause you're all better doesn't mean you have to be _that_ blunt." I lectured.

"Well?"

I itched my face. "Well what…?"

"Answer the question." I sighed.

"Well...lately we've both been busy. Me with the hospital stuff and quitting the agency, and her recovering from all the days she's had off from her work. Not to mention all the aftermath of the fundraiser-" Saeran's expression dimmed slightly at the mention of it. "We've been chatting almost every day. I just...haven't had the chance to talk to her alone, face to face."

"You two should get together." Saeran said finally. "She's a good person—Kao."

"Yeah…" I replied with a warm smile. "She is."

"If you don't treat her right, I'll take her for myself." He warned. I frowned.

"Don't even joke about that." Saeran smiled slightly.

"I did like her though." He admitted, leaning back. "You probably know that now." I looked away. "And at the beginning, I thought—hoped—that maybe she noticed me, maybe even liked me a little. But as the time passed it became clear that she only cared about you." Saeran let out a long sigh. "Horribly ironic that we both fell for the same person."

"I'm…"

"That's okay though." Saeran interrupted. "If it's you, Luciel…" A breeze drifted in from the sliding door once more, stirring his crimson hair as he took a sip of his tea. "If it's you...then I'm okay with it—you and her." I observed him, silent.

"Thanks…" I whispered, not knowing what else to say. "Saeran, you're...like a completely different person." I added finally. I was still a little stunned. "I mean...the last time you saw me you-"

"Said that I wished you had killed yourself?" He asked, a grim look on his face. "Yeah, I remember. And I'm...I'm so sorry for saying that too." I stared at him.

"It's okay." I reassured finally, looking away. "But how? How did you become like this?"

"Time." Saeran said finally, after a brief pause. "Time alone, away from Mint Eye. Where I could properly think, without being corrupted by them. And my therapist, she's amazing. At first I hated her, I didn't want to talk to her but-" He let out a slow breath, "Well...she got through to me. After what happened with Kao, something that I had built up over the years just kind of broke...a barrier...something like that. I felt so vulnerable. And after that, for the first time in my life, other people were there for me. They didn't pity me, they didn't have any ulterior motives, they just wanted to help." He looked at me. "Luciel, tell Kao that I'm sorry. I did awful things to her too, and I never got the chance to properly apologize."

"You're not going anywhere, you can tell her that yourself, once you get the chance." He blinked and then smiled. "There's a small party tomorrow," I continued, "So you can come then."

"I can't see groups of people yet." He said slowly. "But once I can, I will." There was a brief pause. "Can you do something for me?"

"Anything." I replied.

"I want you to tell her how you feel." Saeran said. He stared at me, determined. "I want you to be honest with her. I want you two to be happy." I observed him and then flushed slightly, looking away.

"I'm...not good with that kind of stuff."

"You have to tell her." Saeran said. "Even if you both know it, you have to tell her outright. She's never heard those words before, from anyone. If someone says them to her, it should be you." His fingers tightened around his cup slightly before he let out a soft sigh, closing his eyes. I swallowed. "Okay?" He asked.

"Okay." I replied softly. "You've grown, you know."

"I would hope so," He muttered with a wry laugh, "I'm not going to be the same, helpless kid you remember."

"I know." I said with a grin, ruffling his hair. "But you'll always be my little bro."

"Sorry to interrupt." V walked in the room with an elegant looking woman at his side. "Your therapist is here." Saeran blinked.

"Oh...is it that time already?" I glanced at him. "Sorry," He muttered, "I forgot I had an appointment today."

"That's okay," I said, getting up and grabbing my crutches, "I'll come back before the party tomorrow."

"Ah...don't trouble yourself." Saeran began.

"I'm going to come back every day," I added with a grin, "And I'm going to tell you everything that's happened in the last couple of years, so you better prepare yourself." Saeran stared at me. "If...you'd like that." I added quickly. Then he smiled warmly.

"I would." I nodded and then hobbled out of the room. "See you tomorrow?" I asked, glancing at V. "You're going to be at the party, right?"

"Unfortunately, I have plans, so I won't be able to make it, but I'll be in the chatroom." After seeing my disappointed face, he chuckled. "Don't worry, Luciel."

"Well...alright." I added finally.

"Have fun." Saeran called out, waving from the couch. I glanced at him and grinned.

"Cya!" He nodded.

"I'll escort you out." V said, walking in front of me as we progressed down the hallway to the front door.

Saeran's P.O.V

Laura looked at me, waiting. Finally, when I hadn't said anything, she sat down across from me, setting her things on the coffee table.

"How'd it go?" She asked softly. I rested my chin on the palm of my hand and stared out of the glass doors. A breeze stirred the papers on her clipboard. It was beautiful out today. The sky was bright and blue and there wasn't a cloud to be seen.

"Good." I replied finally. "I missed him."

"Did you tell him everything you had in mind?" She inquired respectfully. Over the weeks, Laura had become less of a therapist and more of a friend. I hesitated.

"Yeah." No, I hadn't. I had left out one thing.

"That's good, you should be able to go out soon, your treatment is going well…" She continued to talk, her pen running below the lines of her papers. She adjusted her glasses. I let out a soft sigh, leaning back into the couch. My mind wandered aimlessly.

' _I did like her.'_ That's what I had told him, and it was true, but I still _did_ like Kao, and I would for a long time. A part of me would always love the girl who was broken like me, left behind, unaware of the world and the plans that had been laid out before her. I closed my eyes and let out a soft breath, my lips curling up in a slight smile. Not that I would ever tell my brother that.

* * *

A Day Later

Kao's P.O.V

I made my way through the crowd, dodged an outstretched arm that flew near my face, and squirmed past dancing couples with glasses of champagne and beer in their hands. The loud music vibrated through the dark room, buzzing in my ears. Finally, I spotted Jaehee across the room, who was leaning against the wall, peering at the drunk dancers in mild disgust. I made my way over to her. She glanced at me.

"Oh Kao, there you are. Jumin was looking for you." Jaehee said, relieved as I came up to her. I could barely hear her over the booming music.

"I know, I'm avoiding him. He wants me to make a speech again." I replied.

"He'll find you eventually."

"Nah." I replied. Jaehee and I shared a smile.

We had all decided to hold a party at Jumin's apartment to commemorate the fact that Jaehee, Zen, and I were all finally moving out. (Yoosung wasn't included, as he had been kicked out a few weeks after the fundraiser and had returned to his college.) After the aftermath of the fundraiser, the last few months had been jam packed, but recently, everything had settled down, and Jumin had decided that it was time for us to leave. I had spent the last couple days packing up all of my things, including all the objects my parents had left me. And tomorrow, I would return to my apartment.

Originally, the party was just supposed to be comprised of close friends, but when word got out, a bunch of Zen's fans invited themselves in, and now I was convinced that the dance floor was comprised of half of the damn people in Seoul. Jumin's apartment was large but it was packed to the brim, making it hard to move.

"I suppose this is cheers to us being alive." I said with a sigh, picking up two champagne glasses from the bar and bringing them over to her.

"I can't believe we've all been living here for almost three months." Jaehee said, bewildered.

"I'm sure Jumin will be lonely when we're all gone." Jaehee smiled a little.

"Somehow I doubt that. Lately he's gotten quite irritated, saying that he misses his peace and quiet. Honestly, I don't know how we were all able to stay here for so long." I chuckled and leaned against the wall. The fundraiser felt so far off and yet so recent at the same time, like it had all been a dream. "So much has happened this year." Jaehee observed softly. "It'll be so strange to go back to our normal lives."

"Yeah...do you remember before we even knew about Mint Eye? That feels like it was such a long time ago." Jaehee chuckled.

"Indeed it does. I remember when we were all fretting over the fundraiser, and when you were worrying if Luciel liked you or not." I flushed slightly.

"Hey, don't just go talking about things like that so nonchalantly." I hissed. Jaehee flashed me a smile. With all the chaos, it had been difficult to talk to Seven. Although we knew we liked each other, it hadn't gone further than that.

"Anyways, It feels a little wrong." Jaehee admitted. We stood against the wall, observing the raving crowd. "Being so laid back like this I mean. It feels like I'm supposed to...to be doing something. I don't know how to explain it exactly."

"I know what you mean." I replied. "Like after all of what happened with the fundraiser it just doesn't feel right to live so frivolously."

"Yes." Jaehee added. "But at least some of us are enjoying ourselves." She glanced at Zen who was in the center of the crowd. I could see his messy white hair and wild grin even from where I was standing. His sleeves were rolled up and his tie was undone, flying about as he danced. Only a few feet away from him was Yoosung who was dramatically telling a crowd of sympathetic girls about the fundraiser attack. I could hear a collection of "oohs" and "you poor thing" every so often. Jaehee took a sip of her champagne and let out a quiet 'hmm'.

"I think...as important as it is to be thankful and to reflect on what happened, we should also just enjoy ourselves." Jaehee said, contemplative. "If anything, that attack showed us just how much we have to live for." Her eyes slid over to Zen. "I wish I could be so carefree. But everytime I close my eyes, I just can't help but picture those men in black, those guns—how terrified I was. I can never really forget it. Even now." I released a sigh, glad that someone else shared my views.

"It will take time." I agreed, clasping her hand. "Something like that doesn't just go away. But I think because everyone went through the same thing, it'll be easier."

"You're right." Jaehee said with a warm smile. "I'm glad...I'm glad you're all here. I don't think I could go through all of this alone." I grinned. "Even when we do move out, we'll talk to one another, right?" Jaehee asked.

"Of course!" I replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's right," She admitted, "This is the beginning-"

"Of a new slate." I finished. We lightly clinked glasses and drained their contents. I let out a loud sigh. "And now for a more important matter." She gave me an inquisitive look. "You wanna dance?" I set my glass on the table and placed my hands on my hips with a grin. Jaehee blinked.

"Excuse me?"

"Let's dance!" I said loudly with a loud 'whoop.' "I am so freaking tired of all this death, stress, and sadness stuff. Let's dance and get craaaaazy!" Jaehee observed me and then held back a laugh.

"You're drunk already?"

"Just a teeny tiny little bit. Come on girl!" She shook her head and placed her glass on a table. "I'm fine watching, but thanks."

"Well alright, I'll just dance by myself like a loner." I joked.

"Have fun!"

"I'll try!" I yelled back as I joined the dancing crowd.

The music suddenly got louder, so loud that I could clearly feel the vibrations under my feet. I prayed that the floor wouldn't collapse, but then caught myself and stopped thinking. I stopped thinking about what had happened, about Mint Eye, about everything. And I just started dancing. My hips unconsciously moved to the music and radiant beams flew across the ceiling as I danced in the darkness. It felt so good to just ignore the problems, to just tilt my head back and laugh. I lost myself and closed my eyes, dancing to the beat. The beat got louder and louder and then dropped, throwing the room into vibrations.

"Kao!" I turned and saw Zen and Yoosung who waved at me."Hey!"

"Zen!" I returned loudly.

"Jumin was looking for you!" Yoosung added.

"Yeahhhhh, I've kinda been avoiding him." I said with an uneasy laugh.

"Well duh." Zen replied. "I don't blame you. Also, just so you know, Seven was looking for you as well, he said he had something to talk to you about." Upon seeing my expression he raised an eyebrow. "You two really aren't subtle at all."

"Shut up…" I muttered.

"What's taking you two so long to officially get together anyways?" Yoosung asked loudly. "Everyone knows you two like each other." I grabbed his ear and yanked it lightly.

"You shush."

"Ow!"

"Just give 'em time." Zen said with an exaggerated sigh.

"Yeah but...they're both so dense…" Yoosung added.

"I'm right here!" I was about to continue before I felt warm arms wrap around my waist. I looked over my shoulder, surprised when I saw Seven behind me who was grinning.

"Well speak of the devil." Zen smirked.

"Seven!" Yoosung cheered.

I stared at him. "You're...standing! Without crutches!"

"Yup! I got my cast off." He said with a grin. "I can officially walk like a normal human being!"

"Congratulations!" Yoosung sang happily.

"Congrats, man, why didn't you tell anyone though?" Zen asked. I could hear Seven chuckle. His arms were still around my waist.

"To keep it a surprise!"

"How is it?" I inquired, looking back at him. He glanced at me. Our faces were only a few inches apart.

"It's great." He said softly. "I never thought I'd miss walking so much."

"I'm glad you're okay." I whispered. I leaned into him slightly and his lips curled upwards. Zen stared at us and then grinned.

"Come on you. Let's give them some privacy." Zen grabbed Yoosung's arm and began dragged him away.

"Awww okay." Yoosung said, before he gave me the supportive thumbs up.

"Cya!" Zen yelled out. The two disappeared in the crowd.

"How'd the visit go?" I asked, looking back at Seven. His golden eyes glowed in the darkness and my heart thudded violently.

"It went great." He released me and then spun me around so I was facing him. "Kao, it's like he's a completely different person. He's just like I remembered him, back when we were brothers." I let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad to hear it, I was worried it wouldn't go well."

"Me too."

"Sorry I couldn't come."

"Don't apologize." He whispered. Our eyes met and he smiled softly. "We'll go back there together, we can both talk to him."

"Sounds like a plan." Seven lifted my arm above me and spun me around, making my purple dress flutter around me.

"You look beautiful." He added.

"And you look handsome." I giggled.

"You really think so?" He pulled at his red bangs and then grinned sheepishly. I placed my hands on my hips.

"But I wonder...can you dance?"

"Oh but of course~"

"Yeah? Show me." I demanded with a smirk. Seven spun me once more, lifting me into the air and grinning as I made a little 'eep!'.

"Little too much?" He asked with a grin as he set me down. I blinked as the room shifted around me.

"...Dizzy."

"Weaaaak~" He teased. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"It's not fair. What aren't you good at?"

"Well I don't have perfect vision but other than that not much."

"Hah. I've got you beat there." I teased.

"That you do." His lips curved upwards.

And then we danced together, bodies in perfect sync, moving in harmony. Dancing aside, just watching his carefree grin and hearing his laugh made me so impossibly happy. Our eyes met and we both burst out laughing. Gradually, the rest of the room disappeared. It was just me, and the darkness, and Seven, serenading in perfect harmony, dancing in flawless rhythm. I was completely interwoven in my empty thoughts. It felt as if the more I danced, the more my worries disappeared into the air. As if the music carved them from my heavy chest and lifted them out of my body, as if the locked vault that had been weighing me down had been opened, and my secrets, released. I glanced at Seven who moved so freely, so gracefully, with his small smile on his face. I couldn't help but smile too. He caught my gaze and grinned back warmly.

And then, I realized that I loved him. Yes...I loved him a lot. I think that I had been madly in love with him for a while, but this was the first time the realization had really hit me—that I had thought those words. I loved this quirky, weird, adorable person. The feeling embraced me and evoked me in warmth, and without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head against his chest. The pulsing music filled the air around us. No other dancers paid us any notice. He hugged me back, his hair tickling my neck. _I love you._ The words escaped my lips, soft and timid. They were almost completely covered by the music. Seven glanced at me.

"What did you say?" He asked. I couldn't help but smile, remembering the paragliding during the Busan trip, when I had yelled that I liked him—when he hadn't heard me. This time I would make sure that he did hear it. I leaned close to him, enjoying the fact that I could see him turn red and whispered into it his ear.

"I said, I love you." Seven stared at me. There was silence as he rested his forehead against mine, and smiled warmly. I could see the raw emotion in his eyes, the happiness he felt as his fingers gently slid around my waist, pulling me towards him.

"And I love you." I smiled as he whispered those short, simple words. Those were words that I had been longing to hear from someone—anyone—for my entire life. He leaned closer to me. I laced my fingers around the back of his neck. His eyes lowered slightly as I closed my eyes, waiting, before-

"Get a room!" Someone yelled beside us. We both flushed and moved away from each other. The moment was gone. Seven rubbed the back of his neck, slightly red, before looking away.

"I uh…" He murmured.

"Umm." I added. We both flushed further, silent, as the music pulsed louder. I opened my mouth to say something, before we heard a loud voice and froze.

"Kao! Come here this instant!"

"Aw crap, it's Jumin." I muttered.

"Better run." He grabbed my hand and we ran in the opposite direction, squeezing past dancing couples.

"Get back here!" We both glanced over our shoulders, surprised when we saw Jumin strolling through the crowd with a frown.

"Jummiinnn." I whined, after he had stopped us.

"Kao," He snapped, "I've been asking you for the past hour. It's just a five minute speech."

"No one wants to hear a speech!" I replied adamantly. Jumin crossed his arms.

"This party is a celebration for everyone moving out. I think it's fitting for at least one of you to give a farewell speech, is it not?"

"Yes, but it's not a celebration, it's a rave now~" Seven replied frivolously. Jumin frowned.

"Don't call this a rave. It's all Zen's fault that so many people are here, you-" Then he glanced at our hands and then blinked. "Ah...my apologies, was I interrupting something?" Seven and I exchanged glances and then smirked, the way we always would before we would perform a 'skit'.

"Yes...you interrupted my confession of love." Seven said with an exasperated sigh, looking back at him.

"Such cruelty!" I exclaimed, placing my hand over my chest. Jumin's eye twitched and he rubbed his forehead with a sigh as we continued.

"I'm afraid if I restrain myself from confessing my love, I shan't be able to live any longer." Seven sang.

"My dear," I sniffled, "Please, do not cry, seeing such an agonized expression on your beautiful face makes me feel as if I should perish." Seven looked at me.

"For you...I will hold back these tears of raw emotion." He clasped both of my hands.

"For god's sake, shut up, the both of you." Jumin said with a groan.

"My love," I continued, enamored, "This man wants me to make a speech...but I shan't! If I do...I'll surely die of boredom…"

"No!" Seven cried. "If you disappear from this world, I won't be able to-"

"Enough!" Jumin said loudly. "Fine. Good lord, just stop it." Seven and I glanced at him and grinned.

"Really?!" I asked. "No speech?" Jumin sighed irritably.

"No speech." He reaffirmed.

"Yay!" I grinned.

"And now if you'll excuse me, _I'll_ have to say one instead."

"How about no speech Jumin?" I inquired. "Just let the people dance. That's what they're here for." Jumin was silent as he considered this. Then he sighed.

"I suppose...that's for the best." He shoved his hands in his pockets and promptly turned around. "Very well then, you two have a nice night."

"Jumin!" I called out. He glanced at me. "Thanks." I added with a grin. His lips curled up in a slight smile before he shook his head and disappeared into the crowd.

After escaping the chaos of the dance floor, Seven led me onto a large balcony that overlooked Seoul. The sun had set a few hours ago and now the stars were out, twinkling brightly in the dark sky. I looked around. My eyes scanned the skyscrapers in the distance, as I watched the flickering lights that topped each building. There was a serene breeze in the air that picked up my hair a little. I tucked it behind my ear. Seven leaned over the railing.

"Jumin is as easy to annoy as ever." He said with a smirk.

"I'll say." There was silence between us for a little.

"Kao." He said finally.

"Yeah?"

"There was uh…" He paused. "Something I wanted to talk to you about." I glanced at him.

"Go on."

"I know this is sudden, but I've been thinking about it for a while, and I've decided that I...I want you to call me Saeyoung from now on." He paused briefly to glance at me and then continued. "Seven was my alias, the name that I went by when I worked for the agency. But I don't work for them anymore, and I don't want to involve anyone I care about in anything dangerous. People calling me Seven will just remind me of when I used to be like that. That's...that's why." He flushed and gave me a forced smile. "Don't get me wrong! Seven is an awesome alias, but-" He cut off and sighed. "I don't know where I'm going with this." He looked at me. "Is...that alright with you?"

"Of course!" I said with a laugh. '"I'm happy calling you anything." He smiled. "But...I thought your real name was Luciel?"

"Saeyoung is my birth name. Luciel is my baptismal name. I've...only ever told people that my name is Luciel, since I used to be ashamed of who I used to be. Changing my name was a way to get rid of that. You're the first I've ever told." I nodded slowly. "Do you...like it?" He crossed his arms, leaned on the railing, and looked at me. His cheeks were slightly pink and his lips were curled in a crooked smile. "My name, I mean." I paused to think about it. _Saeyoung_. It was a nice name.

"I do, Seven is an awesome alias, but that's an even awesomer name."

"Awesomer isn't a word dummy." He gently bonked me on the head. I grinned.

"Well it is now." He smiled.

"Thanks."

"For calling you awesomer?"

"Well that too. But for just being awesome in general."

"Nah, I'm not awesome." I poked him. "You are." Saeyoung laughed warmly and then surprised me with a hug. He pressed his lips against my cheek.

"Kao?" He murmured.

"Yeah?"

"Can I be selfish?" He whispered.

"Always." I replied. We pulled away and he looked at me, a little reluctant but determined.

"I know...this is a really selfish request, and that it goes against everything this party is even for...but," He looked away and then continued, "This is really sudden and probably way too early, but I've been thinking about it a lot. You don't have to accept this offer, it's just a suggestion, and I would completely understand if you didn't-" I booped him on the nose and smirked.

"Come on!"

Saeyoung blinked and then his lips twitched. "Alright...Kao, would you want to move in with me?" There was silence as he observed my shocked face.

"Yefgew" I said blatantly. He blinked.

"What?" I flushed.

"S-Sorry." I stammered before clearing my throat. He burst out laughing. "I wasn't thinking and those were the words that came out of my mouth!" I yelled, flustered.

"Well I don't know what yefgew means, so if you'll explain-"

"I meant yes!" I clarified smoothing down my dress. "If...you're really okay with it that is." His golden eyes widened.

"Really? I figured...well I thought you'd probably miss your apartment considering it's been so long since you've visited." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to grin. "I mean...are you sure? You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I want to." I insisted. "Going back to my apartment would be lonely to be honest, after living with Jaehee, Jumin, and Zen. And...being with you all the time would be…" I paused. "Awesome."

"Awesomer, you mean?"

"Ahh yes." I replied. "That's a word now." We both shared a grin and he let out a loud 'whooo!'

"I was so scared you'd say no. I had a _that's okay_ speech prepared and everything."

"That's adorable." I giggled.

"Hey!"

"Can I hearrrr?" I asked with a grin. He flushed a little and bonked me on the forehead once more.

"No."  
"Preeety please?"

"Nope."

"I'll give you more Honey Buddha Cereal~"

"Well that's just not fair."

"Don't you want someee?" He suddenly grabbed me, lifting me up into the air. I yelled loudly in surprise.

"You didn't say no, you said yes, so no _that's okay_ speech for you."

"I'm almost tempted to take back my answer."

"You're so mean Kao." He set me on the ground and looked down at me, the tips of his crimson hair falling into his eyes.

"You're the one who won't give me your speech." I whispered, not looking away from him.

"Only because it's pathetic." His golden eyes glowed in the darkness.

"I'm sure it's not pathetic." My fingers reached for his hair, brushing it gently aside.

"Nah, it is."

"You're not pathetic at all." I replied softly. "You're the bravest, funnest, most awkward, most talented, awesomer person I've ever known." Saeyoung smiled a little.

"God that word kills the mood." I grinned. My fingers trailed down his cheek and he gently grabbed my wrist and kissed it. "You're amazing, you know. I don't think you realize that."

"You're amazinger."

"Kao, admit it—you're amazing." I was silent.

"I'm not though." I said finally. "I get selfish and paranoid, and I'm stubborn and headstrong, I overthink things all the time, I'm competitive-"

"All things I love." I felt heat surge into my cheeks and continued.

"You're not listening to me-"

"I am."

"I'm...I'm also not confident."

"Nope."

"So…"

"So?" He asked. His golden eyes hadn't left my face at all. I partly wished that he would look away because his gaze was so intense. "Kao, I'll refuse to kiss you ever again unless you admit it." He said. My eyes darted to his.

"Would you?" I asked softly.

"I dunno," He whispered, "I might." I was silent.

"I'm _kind_ of amazing." I said finally. He sighed loudly.

"Guess I won't get the full version?"

"Nope. But if you play your cards right…" I gently kissed him on the cheek. "Perhaps." He blinked and then a large grin spread across his face.

"That's a good start."

"Mmhmm. So are we officially dating?"

"Considering I asked you to move in with me a few minutes ago, yes, I would say that." I grinned.

"How exciting!"

"Just so you know...I've never had a girlfriend before...so I'm not going to be great at this." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"And I've never had a boyfriend before. God, we're sad aren't we."

"But that's what makes us perfect for each other." He replied. I grinned. "Things...are going to be really different from now on."

"Oh?" I grinned. "Different how?"

"Well," He began, "For one thing, you'll give me your box of Honey Buddha Cereal…"

"Will I?"

"You weren't thinking of keeping that from me were you?" Saeyoung challenged, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmm…" I curled a strand of brown hair around my finger. "I don't know…"

"So cruel." He whispered. I giggled as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"If you kiss me once every day...maybe." I whispered, cheeks red. Saeyoung blinked and burst out laughing.

"Kao," He began with a chuckle, "You really are too adorable sometimes."

"You're cuter than I am," I teased, "With that curly hair of yours."

"Hey! Don't make fun of this curly hair!" He replied adamantly. "This is the manliest hairstyle there is, okay?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!" I giggled and then looked back at him.

"Alright...what else?"

"I'll cook for you," He began, watching me fondly, "I'm not the best cook, but we can learn together. Not to brag or anything, but I can make a mean omurice." He gave me a grin. "And maybe we can travel together, just the two of us, maybe I could show you where I was born. I always wanted to travel across the world but I never had the time to do it." I couldn't stop the smile that was spreading on my face. "And I'll take you to my favorite place in the entire world." He finished with a whisper.

"Where's that?" I asked softly.

"The observatory."

"You're such a nerd." I teased.

"Yup." He replied with a slight smile. "I'll take you there, and we can watch the stars together. They have a big telescope there and everything, and I studied astronomy for a bit when I was younger, so I can point them all out to you."

"I would love that." I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Know what I'll do?"

"Hmm?"  
"Every day from now on, I'm going to say something I love about you." He blinked.

"For the rest of your life?"

"Yup."

"That's quite a commitment."

"And every day it'll be something different."

"You'll run out of things quickly." He warned.

"Nope. They'll just keep coming...and coming. And I'll keep telling you them forever."

"Forever? So when I die, you're going to haunt me?" I nodded.

"You better prepare yourself."

"So scary." His eyes flashed.

"And I'll also introduce you to my adopted sister and my adopted mother. I'm not as close to them as I used to be, but they would like you. I think...I think you'd remind them a little of dad."

"Your adopted father?" I nodded.

"And I would love to travel with you—across the world."

"We will." He said softly. "To Beijing, Moscow, Madrid, New York, Sydney-"

"London?" I asked.

"London" He repeated with a nod, "Paris, everywhere." I smiled warmly. Part of me couldn't completely believe all this was happening, that I was really moving in with Saeyoung, that our feelings were mutual. I felt as if I was floating in the air, light from happiness. So much had happened in the past year, I had joined RFA, I had met Seven and the others, and I had become such good friends with them. I had learned about Mint Eye and who my true parents were. And...I had fallen in love. After everything, I couldn't really just go back. This really was a new slate—for all of us. The breeze picked up slightly, ruffling Saeyoung's crimson hair. It lightly brushed his cheeks as he observed me.

"Kao, can you do one more thing for me?" He asked softly. I beamed at him.

"Anything."

He hesitated briefly. "Can you...say my name?" I blinked. His request surprised me, but I obliged.

"Saeyoung." I whispered. Saeyoung smiled a little before he rested his forehead against mine. He leaned closer. I closed my eyes and sucked in a breath. Gently, as if I were something fragile, his lips closed on mine and I was lost in bliss. My fingers slid up his chest, as his fingers curled in my hair. It felt different from when we had kissed before—when he had ran. It wasn't desperate, panicked, or riddled with regret. It was loving and gentle. We broke apart, breathless before he kissed my neck and pulled me even closer. Our fingers interlocked together and our eyes met.

"Again." Saeyoung murmured.

"Saeyoung." I replied softly. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear before his fingers gently slid down my cheek.

"One more time."

I smiled, touching the tips of our noses together.

"Saeyoung."

* * *

Epilogue-

The years passed quickly. Jumin eventually gave Jaehee a promotion and she became the manager of a large portion in their company. She became a prominent female figure in the business world and a role model for many. Of course, we never stopped being friends and became even closer as the years passed.

As for Jumin, not much changed, but a weight seemed to be lifted off his chest. He ended up smiling and talking to us more often. He expanded his company—C&R—to the far stretches of the world. He got another cat, called Louis the 4th, which ended up having five kittens with Elizabeth the 3rd, one of which was given to each member of RFA (except of course, Zen, because of his cat allergies.)

Zen only got more famous after the fundraiser and the attack ended up boosting his popularity. He appeared on more shows and in more productions than ever before, making it more difficult to see him, but we still talked to him in the chat. His popularity expanded past Korea, and he became a global star, attracting more and more people to the fundraisers that we held annually.

Yoosung continued to frequently play LOLOL, but he eventually settled into the college life and a healthy lifestyle. After graduating, he got a job as a game designer and joined the same company who created LOLOL. After a few years, he published an award winning game and became a renowned figure in the video game industry. He fell in love with a girl in the same department, who became his first girlfriend, and later on, wife.

V focused on his career as a photographer, no longer tasked with protecting me. A weight seemed to be lifted off of his chest as well, and he seemed to be almost a new person from the way he openly laughed around us. I was able to properly get to know him and never stopped apologizing for suspecting him.

Saeran continued to live with V, gradually getting better and better to the point where he would hang out with us regularly. His bond with Saeyoung only continued to grow and eventually the two were closer than ever. Eventually, he admitted his feelings for his therapist and she quit her job before they got together.

And as for Saeyoung and I…

* * *

"Wait up!" I said with a giggle, as Saeyoung dragged me forward. His grip tightened on my hand as I heard him laugh. "I can't see! I'll trip over something!"

"You're so slow~" He teased.

"Was the blindfold reeeeally necessary?" I asked.

"Absolutely!" His voice was brimming with excitement, which, as always, made me excited as well. We had just returned to Korea after our trip to Italy, and as soon as we had landed, Saeyoung had told me he wanted to take me somewhere. After insisting that it was a secret, he had put a blindfold over my eyes, and now, I didn't know _where_ I was. I cried out as I tripped over a step, expecting the ground to smack me in the face, but Saeyoung's arms gently caught me.

"Gotcha." I felt him hoist me up and carry me up the steps, bridal style.

"I can walk!" I insisted.

"I don't want you to get hurt." He insisted. "We're almost there."

A few minutes later, I felt him gently set me on the ground. I looked around aimlessly and heard him chuckle.

"Here, I'll take it off." The blindfold was tugged briefly before he slipped it off. My eyes widened and I gasped.

It seemed entirely impossible, but it looked like we were floating in space. Stars were scattered all around me, sparkling and twinkling in individual colors, like sequins on a black velvet dress. Blue, purple, and white nebulae burst like fireworks across the darkness. It was as if the world had exploded into color, and fragments of it had been placed up in the pitless space beyond. I felt the ground beneath me, but everything else looked so incredibly vast. I let out an incredulous laugh as I spread out my arms.

"Where...are we?" Saeyoung walked beside me and grinned.

"We're in an observatory." My eyes widened. It didn't feel like an observatory. It felt like we were floating in space, where millions of stars were twinkling above us, all radiating with luminescence. Or like we were inside a snowglobe, and instead of falling snow, there were falling stars, all scattered across the glass dome we were trapped in. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

"Is this the one you said you'd take me to?" I whispered.

"...You remembered…?"

"Of course." I replied, looking back at him. His hand gently brushed mine and I tightly grasped it. Our fingers interlocked. "It's breathtaking." His lips curled upwards.

"I thought you'd like it."

"It just...looks so real."

"It does." He admitted, looking up. "Back when I first became an agent, I would come here whenever I was feeling lost or lonely, to clearly watch the stars. When I looked up there, I knew that the problems I was facing, my difficulties, were all insignificant. Because compared to everything that's out there, we _are_ insignificant. I don't know why, but I was always fascinated by that." His golden eyes were large and innocent as he looked at the stars above us. I smiled. I always loved him when he was like this. He pointed with his free hand, at a constellation above us. "That's Aquarius, and there," He moved his finger, "That's Orion."

"They're beautiful…" I whispered.

"Yeah…" He let his hand fall to his side.

"Why didn't we come here earlier?" I asked. His lips twitched as his eyes slid to me.

"I only wanted to come here for something special." I blinked. Something special…?

Without hesitating, Saeyoung let go of my hand and took a few steps back. I watched him, speechless, as he knelt on one knee. My eyes widened. He reached into his jacket pocket and drew out a small velvet box, opening it to reveal a white ring inside. I stared at it and then at him, lips parted. He gave me a knowing smile, as if he had been planning it since we had first met—since he had first laid his eyes on me. Since we had first touched. First held hands. First kissed. The vast sky of stars shifted around me as I held my breath, heart pounding, world seemingly frozen, with the only other person who existed, Saeyoung.

"Kao, will you marry me…?" He asked, his voice almost a whisper. His hand was trembling slightly. I covered my mouth as my vision was blurred with tears. _Of course I will, you fool,_ I thought. _There is no one else, no one else in this world that I would be with, except you. You are the light of my life._

"Yes!" I replied, voice breaking. Saeyoung grinned. "Yes! Yes!" I sobbed as I tackled him, pinning him to the ground before I kissed him. The stars twinkled above us, as luminescent and beautiful as snow on a winter eve, and as innocent as love at first sight.

The End

* * *

Wow! It's certainly been a journey! Thank you everyone for reading and getting this far! I hope you all enjoyed the Secret Life of a Messenger! :D

Final Story Stats-

Total Pages on Doc: 242

Total Words: 118,607

Total Time: 12/10/2016 - 4/24/2018

Please read below if you are curious about future releases and series.

Yes, I am planning to post more stories on here. Will they all be about Mystic Messenger? Not necessarily, but I do already have a plan for my next one, and it is Mystic Messenger based. However, there is no guarantee that I will continue with it, and that I'll post it. I am planning to post things from different series on here at some point. If you like what you see and want to read future stories, please follow me if you have not already :D

I'm definitely get a proper posting schedule for my next fanfiction so I don't have to keep people waiting, sorry about that again. It may or may not be a while before I put out the next series, but stay tuned!

Overall, for being my first fanfiction, I think it's a success. I still have a lot to learn, but I have improved a lot since I first started and it was fun to write. Thanks again for everyone who got here. I know this was an incredibly long fanfiction and I appreciate everyone who's gone on this journey with me.


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